D5M digital camera with DE2

Hi aprado,

Thanks for replying.

This is what I got from a website:

"The principle of pulse oximetry is based on the red and infrared light absorption characteristics of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin. Oxygenated hemoglobin absorbs more infrared light and allows more red light to pass through. Deoxygenated (or reduced) hemoglobin absorbs more red light and allows more infrared light to pass through. Red light is in the 600-750 nm wavelength light band. Infrared light is in the 850-1000 nm wavelength light band.

Pulse oximetry uses a light emitter with red and infrared LEDs that shines through a reasonably translucent site with good blood flow. Typical adult/pediatric sites are the finger, toe, pinna (top) or lobe of the ear. Infant sites are the foot or palm of the hand and the big toe or thumb. Opposite the emitter is a photodetector that receives the light that passes through the measuring site."

Here it says, you need a light emitter with red and infrared leds. How does the D5M camera provide me with these lights? Also, I don't know if the latest cell phones have capabilities to produce red and infrared light. There are apps available in both Android and iPhone to measure the heart rate using the pulse oximetry. These apps are pure software because from what I know, they use the existing camera on the phone and have no other hardware. How do they do it?

Please visit the site instantheartrate dot com to see such an app on iPhone (Altera won't let me post links)

Sorry if my questions sound naive.

Thanks,

Vaibhav