Presage SmartSpectra API - Python

Indirect API queries with python
See the python reference code (main.py) for how to use.

How it works

1. Python code stores the video locally
2. Python code writes the video path to data/input.json
3. Python builds and executes C++ file through the terminal
4. C++ File builds and executes
   • Reads the video path from data/input.json
   • Calls SmartSpectra API on the video at the specified path
   • Writes breathing and pulse in BPM to terminal (not returned)
   • Plays the video with visualizations from Presage (not returned)
   • Writes the returned info to data/output.json in the form {"breathing": [], "pulse": [], "timestamp": []}
     • Each key contains an array of the same size equal to the number of timestamps
     • Breathing and pulse may be null for some values but not timestamp
     • Breathing in (breaths / minute), pulse in (beats / minute)
5. Query finishes

Installation

install tools needed to add the Presage repository:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install gpg curl

To compile C++ applications that use the SmartSpectra SDK, you need the complete development environment:

# Essential build tools and development libraries
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y build-essential git lsb-release libcurl4-openssl-dev libssl-dev pkg-config libv4l-dev libgles2-mesa-dev libunwind-dev gpg curl

# Install CMake 3.27.0 or newer
curl -L -o cmake-3.27.0-linux-x86_64.sh https://github.com/Kitware/CMake/releases/download/v3.27.0/cmake-3.27.0-linux-x86_64.sh
chmod +x cmake-3.27.0-linux-x86_64.sh
sudo ./cmake-3.27.0-linux-x86_64.sh --skip-license --prefix=/usr/local

Add Presage repository

curl -s "https://presage-security.github.io/PPA/KEY.gpg" | gpg --dearmor | sudo tee /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/presage-technologies.gpg >/dev/null
sudo curl -s --compressed -o /etc/apt/sources.list.d/presage-technologies.list "https://presage-security.github.io/PPA/presage-technologies.list"

Install SDK (Ubuntu 22.04/Mint 21)

sudo apt update
sudo apt install libsmartspectra-dev=2.0.4

Get API Key

Obtain your free API key from https://physiology.presagetech.com

Test C++ Code

./build/hello_vitals

Key Dates

Created 2026, Jan 17
Last Updated 2026, Jan 18