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A Stylish Approach to Non-Invasive Glucose Testing

Posted by timothy on from the sounds-fun-for-non-diabetics-too dept.

legolas writes "ABC News has a story on a new blood sugar monitoring tool being developed for diabetics by the University of Pittsburgh. Using special "photonic crystals" (materials that change colours in the presence of specific chemicals), Dr. Asher's group is developing contact lenses that change colour in response to the blood sugar level in the diabetic's tears. Instead of needles, the diabetic need only a mirror." Maybe the insulin can be stored there too.

2 of 41 comments (clear)

  1. A step backwards by splattertrousers · · Score: 3, Insightful
    "The ideal is that it's on the bottom edge of the lens and the diabetic patient would look in a mirror and see a color and relate it to a color wheel to [determine the] concentration of glucose," says Ascher.

    Visually matching against a color wheel? This doesn't seem very accurate. Accuracy is key. The existing way seems much better.

  2. insulin delivery comment by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    While having a discussion a while back with a colleague involved in bio-med type stuff he pointed out a simple but often overlooked issue with insulin delivery systems. Any insulin delivery system that intends to provide more than a few doses worth of total insulin storage capacity CAN NEVER BE ALLOWED TO ACCIDENTALLY OVER-"SECRETE" it's store of insulin for the simple reason that it will kill the user. Therefore, intra-abdominal insulin storage pumps, etc. will likely never come to market. Even the external ones must prove that they absolutely, positively can't OD the patient.