Are there any projects or products today available for monitoring heart rate and respiration without needing a smart watch using this technology?

Unless we get legislation passed that bans this use in public and private spaces prepare for this to be combined with Flock et al to track your movements inside your house (already is being tested by some internet providers), track the moment you exit your house, track you along your route, track you inside all the business you visit.

Unless we do something, this will be used to covertly break the fourth amendment.