iHealth (Mountain View,CA), a subsidiary of China-based Andon Health, launched a new wristworn pulse oximeter, an ambulatory heart monitor, and an ambulatory blood pressure monitor at CES 2014. The pulse oximeter continuously measures blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) and pulse rate at the finger tip, and is connected to a wrist strap that has an LED display showing the readings. The device also syncs via Bluetooth to the iHealth iOS app to display and track blood oxygen levels over time. Like other pulse oximeters, the device works by projecting two light beams, one red and the other infrared, onto the blood vessels in the finger. Oxygenated blood absorbs more infrared light and allows more red light to pass through, whereas deoxygenated blood absorbs more red light and allows more infrared light to pass through. A photodetector opposite the light emitters measures the ratio of red to infrared light received and from that calculates the amount of oxygen in the blood.

The second device unveiled by iHealth is an ambulatory heart rhythm monitor that is attached to the user’s chest using an adhesive patch. The monitor syncs with an iOS device using Bluetooth connectivity and displays a complete ECG on the user’s phone.

The device is capable of notifying the user of any arrhythmia and will also be able to convey this information to a loved one or a caregiver. The device can save up to 72 hours of ECG data, and may one day serve as an option over Holter monitors for arrhythmia detection and characterization (see related story here^[3]).

The third device launched by iHealth is an ambulatory blood pressure monitor that connects to a wearable blood pressure vest. The monitor is able to continuously track the wearer’s blood pressure without disturbing the user’s normal activity. It is able to connect to Android and iOS phones through Bluetooth 4.0 and can save up to 200 blood pressure readings. The blood pressure measurements can be registered in preset intervals, starting at every 15 minutes, or the user can have the device measure blood pressures at longer intervals of every 2 hours. The device is targeted at addressing the need for a continuous blood pressure monitoring device to better understand and track hypertension.

Both the iHealth ambulatory heart monitor and the ambulatory blood pressure monitor are not yet cleared by FDA.

Company page: iHealth… ^[4]

Press release: IHEALTH ANNOUNCES THREE NEW WEARABLE MOBILE PERSONAL HEALTH PRODUCTS AT CES 2014 ^[5]