The South Korean company LG Innotek has unveiled an ultra-thin optical biometric sensor module designed to be used in wearables and smartphones to measure health parameters such as heartbeat, stress indicators and blood oxygen saturation level.
 
The new module has very low energy consumption, and according to the manufacturer it is more accurate than comparable existing products. The new sensor module is just 1 mm thick and contains a photodiode, five LEDs and an IC. The inside is gold plated to maximize reflection of the LED light. Compared to its predecessor, the new module has 30% higher biometric signal amplitude and 20% lower power consumption.
 
Heartbeat measurement accuracy has also been improved in the new module, from ±8 bpm with the previous type to ±5 bpm with the new sensor. With a stable heartbeat rate an accuracy of ±2 bpm can be achieved, which is as good as conventional medical instruments.