MAX30101 Heart Rate & SpO2 Sensor
Optical sensor for heart rate and blood oxygen (SpO2) measurement via photoplethysmography (PPG).
Say it to PAL
“Keep a log of my heart rate.”
The code PAL writes
p.onSensorChange('qwiic-max30101', 'heart_rate', (bpm) => {
if (bpm > 0) p.log('Heart rate: ' + bpm + ' BPM');
});
await p.waitUntilStopped();When to pick it
Heart rate and blood oxygen (SpO2) sensor. For wellness/fitness tracking only — NOT a medical device. Requires steady, firm skin contact.
Good to know
- NOT a medical device. Never present readings as medical advice.
- Requires firm, steady contact with skin. Loose placement = erratic readings.
- Motion kills accuracy — walking, fidgeting, even talking produces artifacts.
- Dark skin tones may need higher LED power settings for reliable readings.
About it
An integrated pulse oximetry and heart rate sensor with internal LEDs and photodetectors. Measures heart rate through pulse detection and estimates blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) using red and infrared light absorption. Intended for wellness and educational applications; not a medical device.
Where to buy
Facts
Tested
Its driver works. We have not signed it off on a real board yet.
I2C address
The MAX30101 Heart Rate & SpO2 Sensor answers at I2C address 0x57. The address is fixed.
Current
1 mA
The catalog lists a typical draw of 1 mA for the MAX30101, copied from the maker’s description and not measured by Palpable.
Board size
25.4 × 25.4 mm
The MAX30101 board measures 25.4 × 25.4 mm and stands 4.6 mm tall with its parts. It has 4 mounting holes. These dimensions are from the maker’s mechanical drawing.
Free to reuse
Every fact here is open data under CC BY 4.0. Copy it into your own docs or code, and credit Palpable. Download it
This record was last changed on September 20, 2026.