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When we breathe in, our lungs fill with oxygen, which is distributed to our crimson blood cells for transportation throughout our our bodies. Our our bodies need plenty of oxygen to function, and healthy people have at the very least 95% oxygen saturation on a regular basis. Conditions like asthma or COVID-19 make it tougher for our bodies to absorb oxygen from the lungs. This results in oxygen saturation percentages that drop to 90% or under, a sign that medical attention is needed. In a clinic, doctors monitor oxygen saturation utilizing pulse oximeters -- those clips you put over your fingertip or ear. But monitoring oxygen saturation at residence multiple times a day might help patients control COVID symptoms, for instance. In a proof-of-principle research, University of Washington and University of California San Diego researchers have proven that smartphones are capable of detecting blood oxygen saturation ranges down to 70%. That is the lowest value that pulse oximeters should be able to measure, as really helpful by the U.S. |
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