PulseOximeter
Latest
CES 2013: iSpO2 pulse oximeter for iDevices
Masimo makes medical-grade pulse oximeters, which measure the amount of oxygen in your blood. Now available (for US$249) is the iSpO2, a more consumer-grade model for athletes and aviators who need to track their O2 levels but aren't using it for a medical need. Like the Tinke, which we covered last year, the iSpO2 will track your O2 levels over time via a companion iOS app. Unlike the Tinke, the app is actually quite good. The hardware is also outstanding, with Masimo taking its expertise in medical gear and making a less expensive version for consumers. You just clip one end to your finger (which you've no doubt seen in hospitals or TV shows about hospitals), then attach it to an iOS device and use the app to start tracking. Another advantage over Tinke is this provides continuous monitoring, key for athletes needing to see how their oxygenation levels are doing over time. Engadget has a gallery and hands-on if you're interested in seeing it in action.
Masimo iSpO2 hands-on: track your pulse and blood oxygen with your iPhone
Pulse Oximeters are an essential hospital tool and serious athletes rely on them to track the efficiency with which they pump oxygen into their blood stream. Masimo's new iSpO2 puts these rather important health metrics within reach of the consumer by tying the sensor to your favorite iOS device through an app. The device, available now for $249 through Amazon, feeds your blood oxygen level, pulse rate and perfusion index (the rate of blood flow to your finger) to an easy-to-read app. In addition to just large raw numbers, the app also offers a history-tracking graph, along with a confidence rating for the reading -- so you know when the data coming in and out is reliable. The device itself is primarily light soft-touch plastic and rubber, with a slightly glossier clip that goes over your finger. At the opposite end of the device is the standard 30-pin connector for plugging into your old-school iOS devices. Though, frequent upgraders will be happy to hear that Lightning adapters work perfectly fine with the iSpO2. Primarily the monitor is aimed at athletes and aviators who tend to find themselves in unpressurized aircraft. Beyond that, there could be general health applications for those with chronic circulation issues or other blood-related health problems. The sensor even works when under stress from constant movement -- an important feature since Masimo expects runners and hikers are expected actually wear the device when active. For a bit more, check out the gallery below and the video after the break. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
A pulse oximeter that works with your iPhone
Together the Electrical and Computer Engineering in Medicine (ECEM) research group and the Pediatric Anesthesia Research Team (PART) at the University of British Columbia have developed a pulse oximeter that works with the iPhone and other mobile devices. The instrument is meant to be used at home by people with respiratory problems and can measure both your pulse rate and blood oxygen saturation. Readings are stored and sent over the internet to your doctor's office or the hospital. The research team has already used the iPhone version of the oximeter in trials at Vancouver General Hospital and in Uganda. Read on for a campy video that shows the pulse oximeter in action. Pulse oximeters are vital tools in emergency and trauma medicine and in the treatment of respiratory illness like COPD or emphysema, as they can measure the relative level of oxygenation in a patient's blood in a non-invasive manner. Consumer-grade standalone units are available for less than $50.
Wii Vitality Sensor detailed in patent application, fires righteous beams of light
How does Nintendo's oft-delayed Wii Vitality Sensor work? According to a new patent filing, it's actually quite simple -- the unit fires infrared light right at your fingertip and reports how much passes through, just like the pulse oximeters the pros use. Games then translate the result to the unfortunately-named "relax fluid" number, which is the Vitality Sensor's equivalent of your Brain Age -- the more fluid you've got, the calmer you are. It's also allegedly sensitive enough to detect when you're breathing just by measuring the changes in your fingertip, as evidenced by a concept game where you have to closely adjust your inhaling and exhaling to get an avatar safely through a tunnel without hitting the presumably deadly walls. And now you know.
