Conditions such as asthma or COVID-19 make it harder for the body to absorb oxygen from the lungs. This causes the percentage of oxygen saturation in the blood to drop to 90% or less, indicating the need for medical attention. In the hospital, doctors monitor this indicator using pulse oximeters – clips you put on your fingertip or ear. And thanks to the scientists’ new development, monitoring can be done at home.
A new study has shown that smartphones can measure blood oxygen saturation levels with up to 80% accuracy. All you have to do is place your finger on your smartphone’s camera and flash. The software then uses a deep learning algorithm to determine the oxygen level in the blood.
The team hopes to continue this research by testing the algorithm on more people.
Source: Ferra
