A portable pulse oximeter is a small, hand-held medical device that measures the oxygen saturation of a patient's blood as well a patient's heart rate. As opposed to measuring oxygen saturation through an invasive procedure such as a blood sample, a pulse oximeter is used as a painless and non-invasive medical instrument. Because of their ease of use, speed, and cost effectiveness, pulse oximeters are the preferred medical device in all healthcare settings as well as for home diagnostics. What is particularly significant about this concept of a "portable" pulse oximeter is that it replaces the large, bulky machines typically found in hospitals. Prior to portable oximeters, physicians either had to purchase a pulse oximeter machine for each patient room or they had to wheel it in and out. However, now with the advent of this wireless and mobile technology, physicians simply take all of the measurements they require with a portable pulse oximeter machine which is smaller than the size of a pager.

There are many physical illnesses that are greatly served with the use of a pulse oximeter . Many respiratory issues including asthma and COPD are great examples of health conditions that the use of a pulse oximeter is needed. For example, many who suffer from asthma enjoy having an active life, however they must monitor their asthma levels to make sure they don't experience an asthma attack. By utilizing a portable pulse oximeter, asthma suffers can easily monitor their blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) levels wherever they go. By doing so they can cut down on the number of asthma attacks that they may experience by carefully monitoring their blood oxygen levels.One of the best pulse oximeters out on the market is the Landon Medical LM-800 Pulse Oximeter.