The device is designed not only for patient comfort but also for consistent usage. Clinical trials have already shown high adherence rates, a key factor in the success of long-term monitoring solutions
A new wearable device is showing strong potential to revolutionize the monitoring and management of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition affecting millions worldwide. According to new research unveiled on Sunday, a wearable pulse oximeter—paired with a connected software platform—may soon offer clinicians and patients a more comfortable and accessible way to track the effectiveness of OSA treatments.
Developed by Apnimed, the device is medically cleared and designed for ease of use and long-term wear. Shaped like a ring and intended to be worn on the finger, the oximeter uses transmittance-based photoplethysmography to monitor blood oxygen levels continuously through the night. This method is particularly effective for the proximal phalanx region, ensuring better signal quality even in cases of low blood flow—something critical when tracking sleep-related breathing issues.
The technology aims to bridge the gap between two existing extremes in sleep monitoring: consumer devices like the Apple Watch and Oura Ring, which provide general biometric data but lack medical clearance, and traditional sleep study tools like in-lab polysomnography, which though clinically robust, are expensive, cumbersome, and typically offer only single-night snapshots.
“One sleep specialist even reported that it may be better to collect one or two channels of data over 25 nights than 25 channels over one night,” said Ketan Mehta, head of product and engineering for Connected Wearables at Apnimed. “Longitudinal data gives clinicians the ability to observe patterns, night-to-night variability, and how patients respond to treatment over time.”
The device is designed not only for patient comfort but also for consistent usage. Clinical trials have already shown high adherence rates, a key factor in the success of long-term monitoring solutions. By ensuring ease of wear and daily usability, the device supports a growing trend in healthcare: decentralizing diagnostics and empowering patients.
Patients can also access their own data through a smartphone app, gaining insights into their sleep health and enabling more informed conversations with their healthcare providers. “These data empower both parties to be informed,” Mehta added. “They’re able to have more meaningful conversations. This offers the opportunity for shared decision-making between patient and provider using digital medicine.”
One of the most promising aspects of the device is its potential to bring more accessible sleep care to patients without the need for specialist referrals. “This tool could potentially expand patient access to care through pulmonologists to manage routine sleep apnea, instead of having to refer them out to a sleep specialist,” Mehta noted.
With obstructive sleep apnea often underdiagnosed and untreated, this innovation could be a critical step forward—offering not just data, but a path toward better outcomes and quality of life for patients.
As sleep medicine continues to evolve, this wearable oximeter may represent a significant leap in how we understand and manage sleep disorders—one night at a time.
