Abstract: Variations in pulse shape over time can be used to draw inferences about activity, health, and age of an individual. For example, PPG pulses may be mapped to a latent space where variations in shape can be measured directly in terms of distance between pulses. In one aspect, pulse-to-pulse comparisons for an individual can be used to estimate strain, recovery, sleep, and so forth. Longer term measurements (e.g., over weeks, month, or years) can be used to detect changes in health and fitness for the individual. In another aspect, pulse-to-pulse comparisons among different individuals can be used to estimate relative cardiovascular health, age, and the like.