photoelectric plethysmograph

photoelectric plethysmograph

[¦fōd·ō·i′lek·trik plə′thiz·mə‚graf] (medicine) A medical instrument for measuring and recording ear opacity by means of a tiny phototube and lamp clipped to the ear, as a measure of the state of fullness of blood vessels; also worn by aircraft pilots during high-altitude flights, as an alarm indicating the need for more oxygen.