Pulse oximeter signal analysis in exercise environments

• Main Author: Chan, Hui Ying.
• Other Authors: Zhu Weiguang
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/54360
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Pulse Oximeter, a non-invasive measurement of arterial oxygen saturation, is widely acknowledged to be one of the most important technological advances in monitoring clinical patients. Pulse oximeter computes SpO2 by measuring the differences in the visible and infrared absorbance of fully oxygenated and deoxygenate arterial blood. It also provides continuous, safe and instantaneous measurement of blood oxygenation. Due to its capability of retrieving many critical biological parameters from the test subject, the usage of this device should not be limited to laboratories and controlled tests. It could be modified to handle external conditions and outdoor usage where physical exercises are mostly conducted. The objective of this report will focus on incorporating the usage of the pulse oximeter on physical activities such as walking, jogging and running. The reliability, accuracy and sensitivity of the device were also investigated. The photo-emitter will transmit light through a finger to a photo-detector to obtain a pulsatile signal. A current-to-voltage converter converts this current signal into the corresponding voltage which is used for further analysis. Parameters such as the heart rate and VO2 max have been analysed through various tests and compared with other reliable devices. NI-Daq was used as an interface to collect data of the pulse oximeter which was later processed and filtered using Matlab Coding.