SensNews Sept 2020

17 Sensor100 September 2020 Apple adds SpO2 &V02 Max to AppleWatch Series 6 Apple’s VP of Health Dr. Sumbul Desai described the app as letting users measure blood oxygen “for fitness and wellness purposes.” “With AppleWatch Series 6, you can measure your blood oxygen right from your wrist,” he said.“The new health sensor in Series 6 shines red and infrared light onto your wrist and measures the amount of light reflected back. Advanced algorithms use this data to calculate the color of your blood, which indicates the amount of oxygen present. The new blood oxygen app lets you take a measurement in just 15 seconds.The Series 6 also captures periodic back- ground readings and stores them in your health app. So if you wear your AppleWatch to bed, it can record back- ground measurements while you sleep.” “As you breathe, your heart and lungs work together to deliver oxygen throughout your body,” Desai said. "Blood oxygen saturation is an indication of how well the system is functioning and of your overall respiratory and cardiac health, and pulse oximetry is how you measure it. Now the Blood Oxygen app on Series 6 lets you measure your blood oxygen for fitness and wellness purposes from your wrist anywhere and at any time.This is a great new tool for your overall wellbeing.” This has legitimate uses in research and by elite athletes and perhaps "weekend warriors", but is a knowledge of our O 2 sat something you need to know 24/7? It is a value your doctor will check if you present with some kind of respiratory distress, but it is possibly hyperbole to suggest its use as a wellness or fitness measure. Taking your pulse rate and monitoring you weight are more effective and easily accessible parameters of wellness. Prices for the Series 6 start at £379 in the UK Reported b y MobileHealthNews September15th