The Oxymon device uses a standard cannula mask to monitor both the presence of oxygen supply to the patient and also the dynamics of their breathing. A device that monitors a patient’s oxygen supply and detects any life threatening situations has been into the Electronics category of this year’s IET Innovation Awards. The Oxymon device uses a standard cannula mask to monitor both the presence of oxygen supply to the patient and also the dynamics of their breathing.

By analysing these two conditions, it can detect when oxygen is being consumed. It also identifies when potentially dangerous conditions exist, such as bad positioning of the cannula, which reduces the amount of oxygen being inhaled. It will also spot when the oxygen supply becomes interrupted due to pipe blockages or the bottle running out. The device alerts patients to any of these dangerous situations.

To date, there has been no real way of confirming volumes of oxygen consumed by patients at home. With the Oxymon device, a precise and accurate measurement is possible rather than a subjective one. The project is about to undergo clinical trials. 40 fully functioning prototype units have been produced.

Now in their fourth year, the IET Innovation Awards highlight the importance of innovation by celebrating its application across a range of engineering disciplines from across the world. The closing date for applications is the 25th, July 2008. The award categories are: Asset Management, Built Environment, Electronics, Emerging Technologies, Information Technology, Power and Energy, Product Design, Project Team, Measurement in Action, Security, Software in Design, Start-ups, Sustainability, Telecommunications and Transport.