Title: SpO2 and pulse ox wearables: Why blood oxygen is the big new health metric
Headings: SpO2 and pulse ox wearables: Why blood oxygen is the big new health metric
SpO2 and pulse ox wearables: Why blood oxygen is the big new health metric
What is a pulse oximeter/SpO2 sensor?
Why track blood oxygen?
The origins of the pulse oximeter
Pulse oximeter and wearables you can buy right now
Apple Watch Series 6
Fitbit (various)
Garmin SpO2 devices
Withings
Huawei Watch GT2

Content: So why is putting a pulse oximeter inside of a wearable a big deal? We explore what it is, how it works and what it's going to bring to the wearable party. What is a pulse oximeter/SpO2 sensor? When we talk about pulse oximeters or pulse oximetry, we are delving into the realm of medical tech and talking about a device that's able to measure oxygen levels or oxygen saturation in the blood. That tech used to take form of a clip-on device that you place on your finger, a toe or even on your ear lobe. Optical SpO2 sensors use red and infrared light sensors to detect your oxygen levels, sensing changes in those levels by looking at the color of your blood. It measures the volume of oxygen based on the way the light passes through your finger and delivers the data to the device's screen, which will tell you the percentage of oxygen in your blood. Why track blood oxygen? The Fitbit Estimated Oxygen Variation score
An oxygen saturation percentage greater than 95% is considered to be a normal reading. If you see a score of 92% or less, then it could be time to further investigate, and find out whether it's related to an as yet undetected health issue.