Reducing the Impact of Melanin on Pulse Oximetry

The oxygen saturation (SpO2) in the blood is a very important measurement in healthcare. A low blood oxygen saturation means insufficient oxygen is circulating to vital organs and can be damaging to someone's health. Pulse oximeters are devices that read a person's SpO2, and these devices have shown to be less accurate for people with higher amounts of melanin in their skin. This means that people have been given false readings, specifically, false high readings, which results in them getting insufficient care, and having worse health outcomes. This issue became very prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to worse clinical outcomes for Black and Brown patients around the world. We have created a device that reads a patients skin tone, and adjusts their pulse oximeter value accordingly, ensuring that they receive all of the healthcare necessary to support their health.