Abstract
The ear oximeter is an optoelectric instrument that noninvasively and continuously measures arterial hemoglobin oxygen saturation. We reasoned that this device's clinical applications could be expanded if it were mobile, allowing its operation in a variety of patient situations, such as ambulation in hallways, without the safety hazard of bulky extension cords. Because the Hewlett-Packard Model 47201A oximeter is extensively used but does not have a battery pack, we designed and built one for it. Our first pack consisted of a Tripp-Lite square-wave power inverter, a trickle charger, and 12 globe gel cell batteries. The pack allowed 6-8 hours of continuous operation of the oximeter. The total cost was less than $750. In a later design improvement, we substituted a sealed car battery for the gel cell batteries, greatly reducing assembly and battery-replacement costs and decreasing the weight of the battery pack by half.
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