What Is Infrared Light And How Is It Used In A Pulse Oximeter
Infrared light is one of the most interesting technological innovations of our time
. Essentially the way it works is that it is a spectrum of light that has very important characteristics of light retention. Essentially the way that it works with a pulse oximeter is that the infrared light is the main reason for the measurement of the pulse rate and the blood oxygen saturation of an individual. When you place your finger inside the pulse oximeter a light passes through your finger and then within seconds you get a readings of your results. Well what is happening is that the hemoglobin in your blood absorbs light at different frequencies. Some of the infrared light that is passes through the finger is actually absorbed by the hemoglobin while the other component just flows through. That component that flows through is what the device utilizes to compute the readings in order for the individual to monitor their health.
This light property has always been a component of the pulse oximeter devices. It is such a significant part of the whole operation of the device that without it it would really not function. The innovation actually came by way of some scientists that were dealing with quantum light mechanics and other scientific experiments and came across this. Its application only came to being after many years in the medical device field when it was discovered that you could use it in a medical device to measure the SpO2 levels and pulse of individuals. One of the challenges that is still left to be solved is the fact that it does not work properly when nail polish is present. This in fact is a major issue that is trying to be solved by innovators in order to allow for this to function normally.