A simple flash is enough: scientists taught a smartphone to measure blood oxygen saturation with high accuracy

When we inhale, our lungs fill with oxygen, which is then transported throughout the body.At

In healthy people, the blood oxygen saturation rate is at least 95%.Due to the disease, it can decrease, so it is important to monitor it.Now it can be easier – all you need is a smartphone.

Conditions such as asthma or COVID-19make it difficult for the body to take in oxygen from the lungs. This causes the percentage of oxygen saturation in the blood to drop to 90% or less, indicating a need for medical attention. In the hospital, doctors monitor this indicator using pulse oximeters - clips that you put on your fingertip or ear. And thanks to the new development of scientists, monitoring can be carried out at home.

A new study shows that smartphonesable to determine the level of blood oxygen saturation with an accuracy of up to 80%. All you have to do is place your finger on the camera and the flash of your smartphone. The software then uses a deep learning algorithm to determine the level of oxygen in the blood.

The team hopes to continue this research by testing the algorithm on more people.