Heartbeat Hero

At a Glance

App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/heartbeat-hero/id6736655661
Website: https://www.forres.tech/heartbeat-hero/
Developer site: https://www.forres.tech/

The Story

Where it began

Heartbeat Hero started life as my Swift Student Challenge project in early 2024 and was selected as one of 50 Distinguished Winners (first group ever to receive this honour) where I spent a week in California at WWDC24. I then rebuilt the prototype into a full public release throughout 2024 and 2025, redesigning the app for iOS 26 and expanding the training modes.

Why I built it

A few weeks before that first build, my uncle - a firefighter - told me how he had saved a life using CPR. It hit me that most people want to help but have never practised or feel unsure how to start, as, at the time, I had never been taught CPR either. Heartbeat Hero aims to change that with an easy, memorable and accessible way to learn the essentials, feel the correct rhythm and depth, and rehearse the emergency call.

What I built

Heartbeat Hero is a CPR coach for iPhone and iPad with five modes: Learn, Rhythm, Depth, an AI-guided 999 or 911 call rehearsal, and a real AED map. The app opens with the user's live address, what3words and GPS for fast handover to responders if needed. Training runs on device for privacy and reliability, so it also works completely offline.

How it Works - Key Innovations

Depth practice - learn the right push

• Place your phone flat on a soft surface and press down as if doing chest compressions.
• The app uses advanced tracking to detect your movement and lets you know if you are pushing deep enough or too soft or too deep.
• You get live feedback with simple visuals, sound and haptics so you can adjust in the moment.

Demo video: https://youtu.be/eYicwcjoOKQ

Rhythm practice - keep the beat

• Clap to the beat or press a noisy surface (such as a CPR dummy which usually clicks) and the app will detect the BPM.
• It guides you toward the correct pace for CPR, helping you build reliable muscle memory.

Emergency call rehearsal - build confidence

• Practise a realistic call to 999 or 911 so you know what to expect and what to say and can help you keep calm in an emergency.
• This comes from the fact that a lot of people have never rang emergency services before, and are increasingly anxious when it comes to phone calls (especially emergency ones!)

AED map

• Find nearby defibrillators (AEDs) and learn how to use them.

Accessibility by design

• Clear voice guidance, haptics and optional torch pulses.
• Full support for VoiceOver and Dynamic Type.
• Focus mode shows one small section at a time and can read the content aloud, making the theory easier for people with ADHD, Dyslexia or other reading difficulties.

Why it is different

To my knowledge, no other mobile CPR trainer offers this level of depth accuracy with environment-aware sensor fusion, adaptive filtering and real-time mode switching - all private and on-device, with no extra equipment.

Awards and Recognition

Timeline and Milestones

Quotes

"I wanted to make CPR accessible to everyone and easy to learn. It only takes 10 minutes and you could save a life."

"Heartbeat Hero is not a substitute for certified training. It is a bridge from zero to confident action - helping anyone practise rhythm and depth, rehearse the emergency call and step forward when seconds count."

- Aiden Forrest, creator of Heartbeat Hero

Media Assets

Logo

App Screenshots

Homescreen

Rhythm Mode

Depth Mode

Emergency Call Simulation

Learn Mode

Developer Headshot

Apple Park Photos

Aiden Forrest and Tim Cook

Outside Apple Park

SSC Winners

Inside Apple Park

Times Square Billboard Photos

Times Square Billboard

Aiden with Billboard

RAGA Presentation

RAGA Presentation 2

Product Demo Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYn1gSTS30o (created for Shipaton)

Links

• App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/heartbeat-hero/id6736655661
• Website: https://www.forres.tech/heartbeat-hero/
• Developer site: https://www.forres.tech/
• Privacy policy: https://www.forres.tech/heartbeat-hero/privacy
• Terms of use: https://www.forres.tech/heartbeat-hero/terms
• Apple Developer - Swift Student Challenge 2024 announcement: https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=ufhu8rqs
• Apple Developer - Distinguished Winners overview: https://developer.apple.com/swift-student-challenge/distinguished-winners/
• RevenueCat - Shipaton 2025 winners: https://www.revenuecat.com/blog/company/shipaton-2025-winners/
• Devpost - Shipaton 2025 winners update: https://revenuecat-shipaton-2025.devpost.com/updates/39047-shipaton-2025-winners-announced
• Shipaton official site: https://www.shipaton.com/

About the Developer

Aiden Forrest is an award winning software engineer and iOS developer from Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. He founded forresTech to build thoughtful products that combine practical utility with cutting-edge technology to improve the lives of those around him. In 2024 he was selected as a Distinguished Winner in Apple's Swift Student Challenge and spent an amazing week at Apple Park in California. In 2025 he rebuilt and launched Heartbeat Hero for iOS 26 and won the RevenueCat Shipaton Peace Prize, spending an unforgettable week in NYC.

Contact

Legal and Safety Notes

Heartbeat Hero is an educational tool and is not a substitute for certified training. Always follow your local emergency guidance. When in doubt, call 999 or 911 immediately.