Forehead-Mounted Sensor Measures Oxygen Saturation for Hypoxia Early Detection and Warning

Symptoms of hypoxia – a deficiency in the amount of oxygen reaching body tissues - have been documented among rotary-wing pilots and aircrew flying at altitudes as low as 8,000 feet. Effective hypoxia-related mishap prevention relies upon rapid recognition of hypoxia symptoms and expeditious execution of emergency procedures. This is particularly challenging in rotary wing aircraft, where the lack of adequate training makes reliance on hypoxia self-detection an ineffective solution. An automated warning would be preferable, but currently no military aviation platform is outfitted with a physiological monitoring system to alert pilots and aircrew of impending hypoxic episodes.