Non-invasive glucose monitor closer to market

[redrevis]

Could this be the end of expensive strips? As much testing as you want no matter what type you are?
http://blogs.umsl.edu/news/2011/03/29/glucose/

People with diabetes could soon have a pain-free way to check their blood glucose levels. Researchers at the University of Missouri–St. Louis have developed a portable, inexpensive non-invasive blood glucose detector; the university has licensed patent rights for the device to St. Louis Medical Devices, Inc., a Missouri company headquartered at UMSL’s own startup company incubator – IT Enterprises, to bring the device to market.

The small monitor will allow for pain-free, convenient detection of glucose levels in capillaries of the finger with no waste (strips, lancets, etc.) and no need to draw blood. It tests blood characteristics by shining near-infrared light through the finger, detecting the light transmitted through the targeted area, and generating an output signal. A processor receives the output signals, calculates a change in the magnitude of light power transmitted through the finger and determines a characteristic of blood – in this case glucose. Future applications of the device could include other blood analytes such as cholesterol.

“Unlike other non-invasive monitors in development, this technology provides for detection in just one second; it’s portable, accurate and inexpensive; it measures glucose in blood rather than interstitial fluid without the need to average multiple readings; and it does not require any moving parts,” Xu said. “There have been 25 years of attempts to create such a non-invasive glucose monitor. I think we’ve done it.”

What's the saying if something looks to good to be true...

(maybe I'm just synical😛)

 

[heasandford]

wow, so CGM would be at our fingertips (sorry!)

 

[Andy HB]

Just wait for all those 'depressed' people who test all the time to flood the NHS, there will be a boom in anti-D's! 🙄

(not and not)

Andy 🙂

 

[SusieGriff]

Well, too good or not.....Here's keeping MY fingers crossed, looks good to me...

 

[AlisonM]

Just think, no more bleeding fingers! I can't wait.

 

[Robster65]

Sadly, I've tended to get cynical after so many years of reading about breakthroughs.

They tend to improve existing technology, rather than introduce new.

But it would be nice.🙂

Rob

 

[shiv]

Sadly, I've tended to get cynical after so many years of reading about breakthroughs.

They tend to improve existing technology, rather than introduce new.

But it would be nice.🙂

Rob

Couldn't agree more - I'm the biggest cynic there is when it comes to so called new technology!

 

[HelenM]

This one is British, based in Reading. It was briefly mentioned on the BBC a couple of weeks ago. They have a small group fo people trialling it.
http://www.lein-ad.com/glucose_monitoring.shtml
If it works though they'll need investment to get it onto the market and that seems to be where a lot of these innovations fall down.

 

[redrevis]

Hmm testing using the eye sounds a bit dodgy to me. As it's a new device, no way to know if it's damaging your eyes or not

 

[HelenM]

I think it's using refraction to determine the density of fluid, in the eye using a low powered light, a bit like some of the instruments opthamologists use.

 

[Freddie99]

I just about trust my pump and current meter. Being a massive cynic and being able to recall at least one such similar story from a good decade ago I just don't think it'll happen. I've heard similar tales about dyes and microchips inserted in your eyes, tatoos with a similar purpose. The one from a decade or so ago was a watch that could do it. I have long since given up hope on such a thing.