Effects of motion artifacts on helmet-mounted pulse oximeter sensors

Motion artifacts are known to affect the accuracy and reliability of pulse oximeters. In this paper we investigated the effects of typical motion artifacts associated with upper body movements on the stability of oxygen saturation (SpO/sub 2/) measurements from helmet-mounted pulse oximeter sensors. Preliminary tests performed using four reflectance sensors mounted on a military helmet and its supporting harness suggest that the forehead provides the most stable location for obtaining reliable measurements of SpO/sub 2/ in the field.