The effectiveness of pulse oximetry sonification enhanced with tremolo and brightness for distinguishing clinically important oxygen saturation ranges: a laboratory study.

Our study examined the effectiveness of pulse oximetry sonification enhanced with acoustic tremolo and brightness to help listeners differentiate clinically relevant oxygen saturation ranges. In a series of trials lasting 30 s each, 76 undergraduate participants identified final oxygen saturation range (Target: 100% to 97%; Low: 96% to 90%; Critical: 89% and below), and detected threshold transitions into and out of the target range using conventional sonification (n = 38) or enhanced sonification (n = 38). Median (IQR [range]) accuracy for range identification with the conventional sonification was 80 (70–85 [45–95])%, whereas with the enhanced sonification it was 100 (99–100 [80–100])%; p < 0.001. Accuracy for detecting threshold transitions with the conventional sonification was 60 (50–75 [30–95])%, but with the enhanced sonification it was 100 (95–100 [75–100]%; p < 0.001. Participants can identify clinically meaningful oxygen saturation ranges and detect threshold transitions more accurately with enhanced sonification than with conventional sonification.