System and method for integrating voice with a medical device

1. A pulse oximeter comprising:

a speech recognition system configured to:

receive a processed voice of a person proximate to the speech recognition system;

compare the processed voice to a speech database;

identify a command for the pulse oximeter corresponding to the processed voice based on the comparison; and

execute the identified pulse oximeter command without the person physically touching the pulse oximeter.

2. The pulse oximeter, as set forth in claim 1 , comprising a tangible machine readable medium comprising a medical language model, wherein the speech recognition system is configured to identify the command based on the medical language model.

3. The pulse oximeter, as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the medical language model comprises a plurality of commands for the pulse oximeter.

4. The pulse oximeter, as set forth in claim 1 , comprising a voice training system configured to populate the speech database.

5. The pulse oximeter, as set forth in claim 1 , comprising a voice processing system configured to process a received voice of the person proximate to the speech recognition system to create the processed voice.

6. The pulse oximeter, as set forth in claim 5 , comprising a headset, wherein the voice processing system is configured to receive the received voice from the headset, wherein the headset is proximate to the pulse oximeter.

7. The pulse oximeter, as set forth in claim 5 , comprising an integral microphone, wherein the voice processing system is configured to receive the voice of the person proximate to the speech recognition system from the integral microphone.

8. A method comprising:

receiving a processed voice of a person proximate to a pulse oximeter;

comparing the processed voice to a speech database disposed in the pulse oximeter;

identifying a command for the pulse oximeter corresponding to the processed voice based on the comparison; and

executing the identified pulse oximeter command without the person physically touching the pulse oximeter.

9. The method, as set forth in claim 8 , comprising comparing the received processed voice to an oximeter language model.

10. A pulse oximeter comprising:

a control system configured to:

identify an alert condition for the pulse oximeter;

locate a voice alert corresponding to the alert condition; and

broadcast the voice alert over a speaker to a person proximate to the pulse oximeter.

11. The pulse oximeter, as set forth in claim 10 , comprising a voice recording system configured to record the voice alert.

12. The pulse oximeter, as set forth in claim 11 , comprising a storage medium, wherein the control system is configured to store the recorded voice alert on the storage medium.

13. The pulse oximeter, as set forth in claim 10 , comprising a network interface, wherein the control system is configured to download the voice alert over the network interface.

14. A method of broadcasting voice alerts from a pulse oximeter, the method comprising:

prompting a user proximate to the pulse oximeter with a name of a pulse oximeter alert condition;

recording a voice alert of the user in the pulse oximeter;

associating the recorded voice alert with the pulse oximeter alert condition; and

broadcasting the recorded voice alert to a person proximate to the pulse oximeter when the alert condition is detected.

15. The method, as set forth in claim 14 , comprising storing the voice alert in a memory disposed in the pulse oximeter.

16. A method for broadcasting a voice alert from a pulse oximeter, the method comprising:

identifying an alert condition for the pulse oximeter;

locating a voice alert corresponding to the alert condition; and

broadcasting the voice alert over a speaker integral to the pulse oximeter.

17. The method, as set forth in claim 16 , wherein locating the voice alert comprises locating a recorded voice alert in a storage medium coupled to the pulse oximeter.

18. The method, as set forth in claim 16 , wherein locating the voice alert comprises locating a recorded voice alert on a network via a network interface.

19. The method, as set forth in claim 16 , wherein identifying the alert condition comprises identifying a loss of signal from a sensor placed on a patient proximate to the pulse oximeter.

20. A method for programming a pulse oximeter with patient information, the method comprising:

prompting a user proximate to the pulse oximeter for new patient information;

receiving audio corresponding to the new patient information using the pulse oximeter; and

determining the new patient information from the audio using the pulse oximeter.

21. The method, as set forth in claim 20 , comprising:

prompting the user to confirm the determined new patient information; and

if the user confirms the new patient information, storing the new patient information in the pulse oximeter.

22. A medical device comprising:

one or more controls on the medical device, wherein activation of a respective control by physical touch executes a corresponding medical device command;

a speech recognition system configured to:

receive a processed voice of a person proximate to the speech recognition system;

compare the processed voice to a speech database;

identify a command for the medical device corresponding to the processed voice based on the comparison; and

execute the identified medical device command without the person physically touching the one or more controls.

23. The medical device, as set forth in claim 22 , comprising a tangible machine readable medium comprising a medical language model, wherein the speech recognition system is configured to identify the command based on the medical language model.

24. The medical device, as set forth in claim 23 , wherein the medical device comprises a pulse oximeter and the medical language model comprises a plurality of pulse oximeter commands.

25. The medical device, as set forth in claim 23 , wherein the medical language model comprises a plurality of commands for the medical device.

26. The medical device, as set forth in claim 22 , comprising a voice training system configured to populate the speech database.