An Investigation into the Accuracy of Blood Oxygen Saturation Measurement using Smart Watch Devices Among Pediatric Users in Saudi Arabia

Advancements in technology have led to the development and increased use of biomedical wearable devices equipped with various biosensors. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of blood oxygen saturation measurements in Saudi pediatric users using the Apple Watch Series 6 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 4. These smartwatches, widely available and relatively affordable fitness trackers, offer the capability to measure blood oxygen saturation and facilitate health monitoring. This paper presents preliminary findings from an investigation into the accuracy of the Apple Watch and Samsung Watch in measuring blood oxygen saturation. Data was collected from a sample of one hundred Saudi pediatric users, comprising 43 females and 57 males, with an average age of 13±3.3 years and a BMI of 21.07±6.3 kg/m
²
. Three measurements of blood oxygen saturation were simultaneously recorded using a hospital-grade pulse oximetry machine, as well as the Apple Watch and the Samsung Watch. Statistical comparisons were conducted using a T-test with a significance level of p=0.05, and the results were visualized using Bland-Altman plots. The T-test results indicated a statistically significant difference between the oximeter readings of the smartwatches and the medical-grade oximeter. Additionally, the calculation of errors revealed discrepancies between the measurements obtained from the smartwatches and the hospital-grade oximeter. It was observed that the errors were generally lower in measurements taken from male subjects compared to female subjects. The Bland-Altman plots, considering data from both the Apple Watch and the Samsung Watch, showed moderate agreement between the smartwatches and the hospital pulse oximetry. These findings suggest that while the Apple Watch and Samsung Watch demonstrate potential for measuring blood oxygen saturation, there are discrepancies compared to the accuracy of the hospital-grade oximeter. Further research and refinement may be necessary to improve the precision and reliability of these smartwatches in accurately measuring blood oxygen saturation in pediatric users.