Optical devices for monitoring individuals’ physiology are becoming omnipresent with the advent of wearable and point-of-care (POC) devices capable of photoplethysmography and pulse oximetry. These devices can also provide unique opportunities for managing obesity. We have conducted a pilot human study to characterize the obese optical properties and their connection to body mass index (BMI – a metric of obesity). We have shown computationally and experimentally that obesity is an important biological variable that cannot be ignored when developing optics-based instrumentation. We will report on our recent findings and propose strategies to improve wearable functionality.

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Jessica C. Ramella-Roman, Cristina Palacios, Ajmal Ajmal, Tananant Boonya-Ananta, and Andres Rodriguez, "The influence of obesity on the skin's optical properties," Proc. SPIE PC12370, Design and Quality for Biomedical Technologies XVI, PC123700G (Presented at SPIE BiOS: January 29, 2023; Published: 6 March 2023); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2657683.6321500629112.