The developers have created a compact system of a pulse oximeter and a mobile phone to quickly obtain patient vital signs.

A research team from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, developed the Phoneoximeter system, consisting of a multi-functional medical sensor and software for mobile devices running on iOS, Android, and Windows Phone. The sensor, according to those developers, helps to determine at once such parameters as respiration rate, pulse, oxygen content in the blood. In order to use the sensor, it is necessary to connect it to the smartphone, on the one hand, and to the patient's finger, on the other. It turns out like a field medical laboratory. After removing the parameters, they can be sent to the hospital (as it is, is not said, but probably by e-mail).



According to the developers, now this device can be useful for developing countries, where the death rate from incorrectly performed anesthesia (not due to the negligence of doctors, but because of inexperience) exceeds the rate of Western countries by 100-1000 times. It is argued that the main problem in such cases is difficulty breathing and a decrease in the level of oxygen in the blood, as a result. When the oxygen level decreases, the brain, internal organs suffer, and a fatal outcome is also possible. The sensor, developed by specialists, will help doctors conduct proper monitoring of the oxygen level in the patient's blood during anesthesia. The problem can be identified very quickly, and the patient will not suffer.

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The system, as mentioned above, consists of an FDA-approved pulse oximeter that connects to a mobile device. Such a system is quite cheap (of course, if you use a non-iPhone, then the final cost of the system will be much lower), plus it is easy to use. The derivation of information is made by universal symbols that are understood by the medical profession of any country, regardless of what language the doctor speaks.



Now one such system is being tested in Uganda, and the developers assure that everything is going smoothly.



By the way, quite a lot of compact medical systems are being created that can be used on the fly for many purposes, including a device for diagnosing cancer , a means for early diagnosis of malaria, and other devices.