Projects

The continuous monitoring of cardiovascular parameters offers therapeutic advantages for patients with cardiovascular diseases. Using such a system, for example, for patients with high blood pressure (hypertonia) could allow them to be monitored continuously and provide early warning should critical situations arise. At the Laboratory for Micro-optics, a miniaturized and implantable pulse oximeter (arterial oxygen saturation sensor) is under development. The components of the sensor-system are integrated within a biocompatible and elastic silicone stripe. This stripe is then wrapped around an arterial blood vessel where it measures without adversely affecting circulation. First tests with this pulse oximeter show that, by using the plethysmographic data, it is possible to measure and calibrate the oxygen saturation of arterial blood. The feasibility tests were carried out in the laboratory using an artificial blood circulation system.