Opto Circuits (India) Ltd, one of the leading Indian companies that develop, manufacture and market medical devices for global markets, has developed a new pocket sized finger pulse oximeter (SPO2 monitor), named M50 NanoSAT, that is one of the smallest and lightest of such monitors available in the market today. The product has received CE (Conformité Européenne) certificate for marketing and distribution in key markets like Europe, Asia and Latin America.

The NanoSAT, weighing only 45 gms, detects and assesses blood oxygen saturation and pulse rate with the help of an integrated optical soft sensor, enhancing patient comfort and accuracy of measurements. It is ideal for home healthcare and physician office applications; it will also be useful for SpO2 spot checks in hospitals and EMS centres. The device has a high quality LCD backlit display and can run up to 100 hours in continuous operation with one CR2 Lithium Manganese battery, thus making it reliable for field operations too. It also comes with a detachable lanyard for added mobility and easy patient application.

Vinod Ramnani, chairman and managing director, OCI, said, "We have created this product for ease of use and with minimal power consumption in mind. Due to the device's very low cost and ready availability it is also ideally suited for sudden monitoring needs such as are now being created with the global H1N1 (Swine Flu) pandemic in progress."

Pulse oximetry (detection of arterial oxygen saturation and heart beat rate) is one of the five vital signs that a patient is monitored for in medical care environments.