NIR monitor, unaffected by skin color or body fat, measures biochemistry, metabolism
MAY 4, 2009--Researchers who have developed a noninvasive system for measuring tissue oxygen and pH with light say their invention will soon provide an alternative to needles for drawing blood and cumbersome equipment for determining metabolic rate. Development of the Venus prototype system's sensor and portable monitor were funded by the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) for use in space, but the device has everyday application to critically ill patients on Earth.