New technology can quickly and accurately monitor glucose levels in people with diabetes without painful finger pricks to draw blood.
New technology can quickly and accurately monitor glucose levels in people with diabetes without painful finger pricks to draw blood.
A palm-sized device developed by researchers at the University of Waterloo uses radar and artificial intelligence (AI) to non-invasively read blood inside the human body.
“The key advantage is simply no pricking,” said George Shaker, an engineering professor at Waterloo. “That is extremely important for a lot of people, especially elderly people with very sensitive skin and children who require multiple tests throughout the day.”
About the same size as existing glucometers, the rectangular device works by sending radio waves through the skin and into blood vessels when users place the tip of their finger on a touchpad.
The waves are then reflected back to the device for signal processing and analysis by AI software, telling users within seconds whether their blood sugar has gone up, down or remained the same.
Read more at University of Waterloo
Image: Researchers test a prototype of a new diabetes device for prick-free glucose monitoring. Image Credit: University of Waterloo
