Non-Invasive Process Determines Blood Glucose Levels Without Sample

Diabetics are often required to prick their finger several times a day to draw blood and check their glucose levels using an electronic monitor. Researchers have been working on working on improving the glucose monitoring process for the millions of people around the world affected by diabetes by making it less invasive and painful. Now, a team of researchers has created a non-invasive process that can identify the exact value of blood glucose with 90% accuracy without taking a blood sample.

The GlucoCheck process developed by researchers at Kennesaw State University (Kennesaw, GA, USA) uses light shone through human tissue, in either the ear or finger, and a small camera to capture images on the other side. The team then uses a model to study the amount of light absorption in those images to determine blood glucose concentration. The team has filed a provisional patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to protect the process they have created. The researchers have tested the process on nearly 50 people so far, but before filing a full patent next summer, they will assess how the process works on people with a range of skin pigmentations and skin thickness. The team has already created a mobile phone application and is working on connecting GlucoCheck to Amazon’s virtual assistant, Alexa.

Image: New non-invasive blood glucose monitoring process could put an end to painful pricks to draw blood (Photo courtesy of Pexels)

“Our pilot study was very successful. We are excited about how this device will help people with diabetes, which affects about one in every 10 people in the United States,” said Maria Valero, assistant professor of information technology in Kennesaw State’s College of Computing and Software Engineering (CCSE). “The way we gather and output the data is novel, and we will continue to work on ways to improve the glucose estimation model.”

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Kennesaw State University