Development and Metrological Characterization of Low-Cost Wearable Pulse Oximeter

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Devices
• Optical Sensing

Background:

• Traditional pulse oximeters are costly and prone to motion artifacts and ambient light interference.
• Accurate monitoring of arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) and heart rate (HR) is critical in diverse medical settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a low-cost pulse oximeter prototype addressing limitations of existing devices.
• To enhance reliability and versatility in SpO2 and HR monitoring.

Main Methods:

• Designed a reflectance-based pulse oximeter with a 3D-printed finger support and elastic element.
• Integrated light-shielding materials to minimize ambient light interference.
• Conducted metrological characterization to assess accuracy and compare with commercial devices.

Main Results:

• The prototype demonstrated accuracy comparable to the commercial GIMA Oxy-50 pulse oximeter.
• Achieved reliable readings even with poor peripheral perfusion due to the reflectance method.
• Production cost is approximately 10% of commercial alternatives.

Conclusions:

• The developed prototype offers a viable, affordable solution for pulse oximetry.
• Design advancements enable accurate SpO2 and HR monitoring in challenging environments.
• Potential for widespread application in healthcare due to low cost and high reliability.