Privacy Policy
RBP - Research Bench Physic
This policy explains how this application handles information and how to contact us about privacy.
Information we process
Research Bench Physics stores experiment records on your iPhone: the selected physics topic, model parameters, your prediction, calculated result, and date. It also stores numerical task answers, correctness, dates, the last topic, language and unit preferences, and an optional reminder preference. A random installation secret is stored in the iPhone Keychain. While a sensor experiment is running, the app reads motion values or microphone samples to calculate a live measurement; raw microphone audio is not saved or uploaded. If you choose Save measurement, the resulting number, sensor type and date enter the journal. The server receives synced journal and task records, last topic, a hash of the installation secret, and server creation and update times. Requests to Railway also expose ordinary connection data such as IP address and request metadata to hosting infrastructure.
How we use information
The app uses local records to show your journal, progress, suggested task difficulty and continuation point. It uses sensor input only for a measurement you start. It uses the installation secret to authorize private synchronization, retrieve your saved records and process deletion. If you enable a daily reminder, iOS schedules it locally for practice. Server records support synchronization for the same installation and service operation; connection and error data support delivery, security and troubleshooting.
Service providers and sharing
The backend and PostgreSQL database run on Railway, which processes hosted records and infrastructure request logs to provide the service. Apple provides iOS storage, Keychain, sensor permissions and local notification delivery on your device. The app does not include analytics, advertising, social sign-in, email delivery, or other third-party SDKs, and does not sell personal information. We do not send raw microphone audio or continuous motion streams to the backend.
Data retention
Local journal and task records remain until you reset progress, remove the app, or the operating system removes its data. Language, unit and reminder preferences remain until you change them or remove the app; resetting progress does not clear these preferences. The installation secret remains in Keychain until a successful reset rotates it or the operating system removes it. Synced records remain on the server until a successful authenticated deletion; there is no automatic expiry in the application database. If offline, deletion remains pending locally and is retried when the app can reach the server. Railway may retain infrastructure logs and database backups under its own service practices; the app cannot immediately erase copies in infrastructure backups and does not claim a fixed backup or log retention period.
Deleting your information
In Settings, Reset progress deletes local journal and task history immediately and requests deletion of the records associated with this installation secret on the server. If the service is unavailable, the app retries before further synchronization; after the server confirms deletion, it rotates the secret. Removing the app may leave server records because it cannot send a deletion request afterward. If you lose the installation secret, the app cannot retrieve or identify those records through an account. Contact Anselm35Duncombe@icloud.com about a privacy request; we will explain what can be verified and acted on without exposing another installation's data.
Permissions and your choices
Motion sensors are read only while you start an accelerometer or gyroscope measurement. The microphone permission is requested when you start sound measurement; you can deny or withdraw it in iPhone Settings. Raw audio is processed on the device to estimate a frequency and is not recorded to a file. Notifications are requested only when you enable the daily reminder; you can switch it off in the app or withdraw permission in iPhone Settings. The main simulations, tasks and local journal work without microphone or notification access.
Your privacy rights
You can review your journal and task progress in the app, change language and unit preferences, reset local data, and request authenticated server deletion through Settings. For questions or a privacy request, email Anselm35Duncombe@icloud.com. Because there are no accounts and the server stores only a hash of the installation secret, we may be unable to locate data after the secret is lost, and cannot provide one installation's records to someone who cannot prove control of that secret.
Security
The app creates a cryptographically random, installation-scoped secret and stores it in the iPhone Keychain. Sync uses HTTPS and a Bearer token; the server stores only a SHA-256 hash of the secret and checks it for each private request. PostgreSQL queries are scoped to that hash. Local progress is stored in the app's protected sandbox with atomic writes. No system is risk free, and possession of the installation secret permits access to that installation's server records.
Children’s privacy
The app is designed for learners aged 14 and older and adults. It does not require a user account or intentionally collect a child's name, email address, or profile. Learners under 13 should use it only with a parent or guardian's guidance and should avoid entering personal information into prediction or task fields, which are numeric fields.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy when app features, hosting or data handling change. The updated page will show its effective date. Material changes will be reflected in the app or on this page before the revised practice is relied on. Contact Anselm35Duncombe@icloud.com with questions about the current policy.