Through interviews with clinicians, we identified a critical information gap in patient care: measuring tissue oxygenation saturation (StO₂). We found there was no technology available that was capable of providing this important piece of information.

Others before us had used near infrared technology to measure whether oxygen levels were going up or down, but had not been able to solve the technical challenges associated with providing a quantitative value. We took on this challenge and applied our engineering know-how to develop a device that provided an absolute measurement.

We established the BioMeasurement Division in 1996. That same year, we submitted our first prototype device, the BioSpectrometer, to the FDA. The device received clearance in 1998 and marked the creation of a new product category for tissue oximeters.

The BioSpectrometer was critical to completing initial studies to validate StO₂. We continued to advance the technology and developed the InSpectra™ Tissue Spectrometer, a research device that received FDA clearance in 2001. Between 2001 and 2006, over 30 clinical studies in the US and Europe were conducted with this research device.

Driven by positive results from the clinical studies, development of the next-generation device, the InSpectra™ StO₂ Tissue Oxygenation Monitor got underway in 2004. This smaller and portable device was designed for clinical use in trauma and emergency medicine. Commercial launch began in late 2006.

From the very start, our entry into the medical market emphasized the application of scientific and economic principles to solve problems and bring value to the customer. As a result, we brought an innovative new product to the medical market that is helping clinicians reduce risks and costs by enabling faster and more precise assessment of oxygen delivery to vital organs and tissue.