Back to Home

Privacy Policy

Last updated: November 21, 2025

Privacy at a Glance

Local-First Architecture

All sensor data streams directly to your local network or computer. No cloud servers, no data collection.

No Tracking

ARVOS does not track users, does not link data to your identity, and does not share data with third parties.

You Control Everything

Choose which sensors to stream, when to record, and where data goes. All permissions are requested and explained.

Local Storage Only

Recorded data is stored only on your device. Export when you want, delete when you want.

1. Introduction

ARVOS ("we," "our," or "the app") is a sensor streaming application that transforms your iPhone and Apple Watch into a research-grade sensor platform. We are committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about how we handle your data.

This Privacy Policy explains what data ARVOS collects, how we use it, where it's stored, and your rights regarding your data. By using ARVOS, you agree to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the app.

2. What Data We Collect

ARVOS collects sensor data from your iPhone and, optionally, Apple Watch to enable sensor streaming functionality. All data collection requires your explicit permission through iOS permission dialogs.

2.1 Camera Data

Purpose: To capture and stream RGB video for AR applications, computer vision research, and 3D reconstruction.

What we collect: Real-time video frames at up to 30 FPS at 1920x1080 resolution.

Permission required: Camera access (NSCameraUsageDescription). You can deny this permission, but video streaming will not work.

2.2 LiDAR Depth Data

Purpose: To capture depth information and point clouds for 3D mapping and spatial understanding.

What we collect: Depth maps and point cloud data at up to 5 FPS with confidence metrics.

Requirement: iPhone 12 Pro or newer with LiDAR sensor. Only collected when LiDAR streaming is enabled.

2.3 IMU (Motion) Data

Purpose: To capture accelerometer, gyroscope, and gravity data for motion tracking, SLAM algorithms, and sensor fusion.

What we collect: Angular velocity, linear acceleration, and gravity vectors at 100-200 Hz with nanosecond timestamps.

Permission required: Motion & Fitness access (NSMotionUsageDescription). Essential for pose tracking and ARKit.

2.4 GPS Location Data

Purpose: To tag sensor data with precise geographic coordinates for spatial mapping and outdoor research applications.

What we collect: Precise location coordinates (latitude, longitude, altitude), accuracy metrics, and timestamp data at approximately 1 Hz when enabled.

Permission required: Location When In Use (NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription). GPS is optional and can be disabled.

Important: GPS data is classified as "Precise Location" under Apple's privacy framework. This data is NOT linked to your identity and is NOT used for tracking. It is only used for app functionality (spatial mapping) and can be disabled at any time.

2.5 ARKit Pose Data

Purpose: To provide 6DOF (six degrees of freedom) pose tracking with world coordinates for SLAM and AR applications.

What we collect: Camera pose (position and orientation), tracking quality flags, and world transform matrices at 30-60 Hz.

Note: Requires camera and IMU permissions. ARKit processes data locally on your device.

2.6 Apple Watch Data (Optional)

Purpose: To augment iPhone sensor data with wearable motion sensing for robotics operators, telepresence, and human-in-the-loop research.

What we collect: Watch IMU data (50-100 Hz), attitude (quaternion and Euler angles), and motion activity classification (walking, running, cycling, vehicle, stationary) when the Apple Watch companion app is active.

Requirement: Apple Watch Series 6 or newer, paired with your iPhone, with the ARVOS Watch app installed. Completely optional.

2.7 Device Information

Purpose: To identify device capabilities and optimize sensor streaming performance.

What we collect: Device identifier (Device ID), device model, iOS version, and app version. This information is NOT linked to your identity and is NOT used for tracking.

Usage: Sent only during initial connection handshake to communicate device capabilities (e.g., whether LiDAR is available). Stored only locally on your device.

2.8 Network Information

Purpose: To establish local network connections for streaming sensor data.

What we collect: Local IP addresses, network interface information, and Bonjour service discovery data (for local device discovery).

Note: All network communication happens on your local network. No data is sent to external servers. We do not collect or store your network information.

3. How We Use Your Data

ARVOS uses collected sensor data exclusively for the following purposes:

  • Real-time sensor streaming: To stream sensor data from your iPhone/Watch to your computer over your local network using protocols like WebSocket, gRPC, MQTT, HTTP, Bluetooth LE, or MCAP.
  • Local recording: To save sensor data locally on your device in MCAP format (with H.264 video encoding) for later analysis or export.
  • Device capability detection: To identify available sensors (e.g., LiDAR) and optimize streaming performance.
  • App functionality: To enable core features like ARKit pose tracking, 3D reconstruction, SLAM algorithms, and sensor fusion.

What We Do NOT Do:

  • We do NOT track you across apps or websites
  • We do NOT link your sensor data to your identity
  • We do NOT share your data with third parties
  • We do NOT send your data to cloud servers
  • We do NOT use your data for advertising or analytics
  • We do NOT sell your data

4. Data Storage and Transfer

4.1 Local-First Architecture

ARVOS is designed with a local-first architecture. All sensor data processing and streaming happens locally on your device or over your local network.

  • Real-time streaming: Sensor data streams directly from your iPhone to your computer over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth LE. No data passes through any external servers.
  • Local recording: Recorded data is stored exclusively on your iPhone in the app's local storage. You control when to record, what to record, and when to delete.
  • No cloud storage: We do not maintain cloud servers that receive or store your sensor data.
  • No data transmission: Sensor data never leaves your local network unless you explicitly export or share it.

4.2 Network Protocols

ARVOS supports multiple streaming protocols, all operating on your local network:

  • WebSocket: Direct TCP connection over your local Wi-Fi network
  • gRPC: HTTP/2-based streaming on your local network
  • MQTT: Requires a local MQTT broker (e.g., Mosquitto) on your network
  • HTTP/REST: Local HTTP server for simple integrations
  • Bluetooth LE: Direct peer-to-peer connection, no network required
  • MCAP Stream: Local streaming in MCAP format

All protocols operate exclusively within your local network environment. No data is routed through external services.

4.3 Data Retention

Live streaming: Sensor data is processed in real-time and not stored during streaming unless you explicitly start recording.

Recorded data: Stored on your device until you delete it. You can export recorded data to formats like KITTI, TUM, EuRoC, PLY, or CSV, then delete it from your device.

Device information: Device ID and capability information are stored only locally on your device and used only for app functionality. They are never transmitted to external servers.

5. Data Sharing and Disclosure

ARVOS does not share your sensor data with third parties. We do not sell, rent, or trade your data.

The only scenarios where your data might be accessed are:

  • By you: You control where your recorded data goes. You can export it, share it manually, or delete it.
  • On your local network: When streaming, sensor data flows to devices you explicitly connect to on your local Wi-Fi network or via Bluetooth LE pairing.
  • Legal requirements: We may disclose data if required by law or to protect our rights, but this is highly unlikely given that we don't store your data on our servers.

Third-party services: ARVOS does not integrate with analytics services, advertising networks, or cloud data processing services. Your data never leaves your control.

6. Your Rights and Choices

You have complete control over your data when using ARVOS:

Access Your Data

All recorded sensor data is stored on your device. You can access it through the app's file management interface and export it at any time.

Delete Your Data

Delete recorded files directly from the app or your device's file system. Live streaming data is never stored unless you record it.

Control Permissions

Manage permissions in iOS Settings → ARVOS. You can revoke camera, location, motion, or Bluetooth permissions at any time. Some features will be unavailable if permissions are denied.

Choose What to Stream

Select from 7 streaming modes or create custom modes. Disable specific sensors (e.g., GPS, Apple Watch) if you don't want to stream them.

Stop Streaming Anytime

Tap "Stop Streaming" to immediately halt all sensor data collection and transmission. No data is retained after stopping.

GDPR and CCPA Rights

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA) or California, you have additional rights under GDPR and CCPA:

  • Right to access your personal data
  • Right to rectification (correction) of inaccurate data
  • Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten")
  • Right to data portability (export your data)
  • Right to object to processing
  • Right to restrict processing

Since ARVOS stores all data locally on your device, you can exercise these rights directly through the app or by deleting the app. To request assistance, contact us at privacy@arvos.dev.

7. Data Security

We implement technical and organizational measures to protect your data:

  • Local processing: All sensor data is processed on-device using Apple's native frameworks (ARKit, CoreMotion, CoreLocation). No data is sent to external servers for processing.
  • Secure protocols: When streaming over networks, we support encrypted protocols (HTTPS, WSS) when configured by you. Bluetooth LE uses encryption by default.
  • Minimal data collection: We only collect sensor data necessary for app functionality. No unnecessary data is collected or stored.
  • iOS sandboxing: ARVOS runs within iOS's app sandbox, limiting access to your device's file system and other apps.
  • No persistent identifiers: We do not use tracking identifiers or persistent user IDs that could link data to you across sessions.

Important security note: Since ARVOS streams data over your local network, ensure your Wi-Fi network is secure and trusted. Avoid using public or untrusted Wi-Fi networks when streaming sensitive data.

8. Children's Privacy

ARVOS is not directed to children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at privacy@arvos.dev.

9. International Users

ARVOS operates entirely locally on your device. Data is processed and stored on your device, and streaming occurs only on your local network. No data is transferred across international borders by our services. Your data remains under your control and jurisdiction.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes by:

  • Updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page
  • Posting a notice in the app (for significant changes)
  • Sending an email notification (if you have provided your email)

Your continued use of ARVOS after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Email: privacy@arvos.dev

General Support: hello@arvos.dev

Website: https://arvos.io

12. Apple App Store Privacy Information

As required by Apple, here is a summary of our privacy practices:

Data TypeLinked to UserUsed for TrackingPurpose
Precise LocationNoNoApp Functionality
Device IDNoNoApp Functionality

Tracking: ARVOS does not track users across apps and websites owned by other companies. We do not use tracking technologies or share data with data brokers.

Thank you for trusting ARVOS with your sensor data. Your privacy is our priority.