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Science

How it Works

The Humon Hex uses near-infrared spectroscopy to measure the oxygen saturation in muscles (also referred to as SmO2 % or Muscle Ox %). LEDs emit light into the muscle tissue and several detectors measure the light intensity as it propagates through the muscle.
Since oxyhemoglobin (HbO2) and deoxyhemoglobin (Hb) have different absorption spectra in the near-infrared wavelength range, the Muscle Ox can be calculated.
In other words, the Hex looks at the color of your blood in the muscle in real time and from that determines your Muscle Ox.

What is Muscle Ox?

Oxygen is delivered to the muscle by red blood cells via the arteries. Once the oxygen is used by the muscle, the red blood cells go back to the lungs to pick up more oxygen and repeat the cycle.
O2Delivery
O2Consumption
Muscle Ox % is the balance between oxygen delivery and oxygen consumption in the muscle. Muscle Ox % varies from person to person but at rest, most people will display values between 50% to 70%.
Artery:
oxygen supply
Veins:
back to lungs
Muscle:
balance between
oxygen supply and
demand

Muscle Ox vs Blood Ox

Blood Ox is the oxygen saturation in the arteries, and represents the oxygen supply. It is commonly measured using a fingertip pulse-oximeter.
SpO2 is useful for a general health assessment but has no value for training optimization.
This is Blood Ox
This is Muscle Ox

Muscle Ox vs Lactate Threshold

Lactate is produced as a byproduct of an oxygen deficit in the muscle, and is used as a measurement of exercise intensity.
Humon provides all the benefits of lactate threshold
training, while being noninvasive and in real-time.

Muscle Ox vs VO2 max

VO2 max is the maximum rate of oxygen consumption of a subject during intense exercise and is used as measurement of exercise intensity. VO2 max testing is confined to a lab, requiring cumbersome and expensive equipment
Humon provides all the benefits of VO2 max
without the expensive lab.

Humon is clinically validated by Harvard Medical School

  • The Hex is 96% accurate compared to the gold Standard ISS metaOX
  • The Hex can identify your lactate threshold
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Whitepapers

Humon - June 20th, 2017
Interval training with muscle oxygenation
Humon - May 5th, 2017
The limititations of training with heart rate and the crucial information muscle oxygenation can offer you