Pulse oximeter
Pulsioxímetro
- Date
- 1974 · confidence high
- Place
- Nihon Kohden, Tokyo, Japan
- Credited to
- Aoyagi Takuo
- Field
- Life & health
What it is
A device that calculates blood oxygen saturation by comparing the absorption of red and infrared light in the arterial pulse, without needle pricks. It is now a basic monitor in operating theatres, emergency rooms and homes.
Minolta presented a similar device (Konishi and Yamanishi) in 1977; worldwide adoption came with American models in the 1980s.
What it led to
- standard anaesthetic monitoring
- monitoring of COVID-19 patients
- oxygen sensors in smartwatches