A Pulse Oximeter (PulseOx) is a useful gizmo, but precisely how does one work? Obviously, it’s not magic, although it would as effectively be. Only a few individuals can tell you what happens in the couple of seconds that occur after you place it in your finger. Pulse Oximeters were invented in the 1940’s by scientist Glen Milliken, who printed his concepts in a analysis paper titled The oximeter: an instrument for measuring continuously oxygen-saturation of arterial blood in man. But the average individual still wouldn’t have been in a position to buy a Pulse Oximeter. Biox made it right into a commercial product in 1981, and it was the late 1980’s before they actually began to catch on within the United States. So how do they work? A Pulse Oximeter emits mild from two different sources: a pink light that you would be able to see, and an infrared mild that you simply can’t see. As the PulseOx is positioned in your finger or ear the lights activate robotically.
