The principle of the pulse oximetry invented by the late Dr. Takuo Aoyagi and others
was recognized an IEEE Milestone

Nihon Kohden today announced that the principle of the pulse oximetry invented by Nihon Kohden engineer, the late Dr. Takuo Aoyagi and others, has been honored as an IEEE Milestone^*2 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers of America (IEEE)^*1. A commemoration ceremony was held today at the headquarters of Nihon Kohden and the milestone plaque was presented by the IEEE. The Company also held a commemorative lecture on the pulse oximeter by Naoki Kobayashi, a fellow of the Ogino Memorial Laboratory, who had worked under Dr. Aoyagi.

The reason for this recognition is that the pulse oximeter has been highly evaluated for its significant contribution to improving the quality of medical care.

Pulse oximetry, a non-invasive technique to measure blood oxygen saturation continuously and immediately without a blood sample, which was introduced in 1972 by Dr. Aoyagi and a domestic patent application was submitted in 1974. Nihon Kohden launched the world's first ear oximeter in 1975. Currently, pulse oximeters are used in emergency, intensive care, and home healthcare, making them an indispensable device in clinical practice. In addition, the usefulness of pulse oximeters was reaffirmed worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic.

*1 The IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.) is the world’s largest technical professional association headquartered in the U.S. With more than 420k members in more than 160 countries, the IEEE is dedicated to advancing technological innovation for the benefit of humanity and society.
*2 The IEEE Milestone program recognizes significant achievements in electrical and electronic, information, and telecommunications that have contributed to the development of society and industry in the 25 years or more since their development.