I am diabetic, and as far as I have researched the market, there is currently no device capable of measuring blood glucose levels without coming into contact with the skin or directly with the blood. That is to say no needle, nothing at all.
So I was very surprised by the news when the possibility arose some time ago that an upcoming Apple Watch could measure the sugar level bleeding. I’ve researched medical websites, and it looks like it’s possible. Many advances are being made in the field of photometric analysis of blood, and it seems that such a function is already possible with a simple optical sensor. Good news, without a doubt.
It seems that the activity of the test strips to control the level of glucose in the blood has its days numbered. Currently, diabetics around the world have no choice but to prick us on a finger and moisten a reagent with blood to determine the blood sugar level, or use sensors pricked into the skin. But it looks like things will change.
The studies blood photometric They are more and more advanced, and it seems that by analyzing the reflection of light beams of certain frequencies in the blood, it can be associated with the level of glucose in it, among other new biometric data.
Goodbye needles
Current blood glucose monitors require a drop of blood, but that could change in the near future.
This technology is already very advanced and is about to be commercialized. This means that like any heart rate monitor sold on the market, within a very short time, only “enlighten»The fingertip with some very specific light frequencies, apart from the current ones which already show you pulse rate and oxygen level in the blood, they will also show you other biometric levels such as blood pressure, rate blood sugar and alcohol level.
So, knowing this advance already, it is not at all unreasonable to think that said optical sensor can be inserted in the future in the Apple WatchIn the same way that we already have one on the back of the clock that measures our heart rate, the level of oxygen in the blood, and helps the ECG.
It can be inserted into a smartwatch or bracelet
The Apple Watch already has optical sensors that measure the pulse and the level of oxygen in the blood.
Rockley Photonics is one of the few companies in the world that has focused its research on developing an optical sensor using the technology explained above. And Apple is behind it.
Apple is Rockley Photonics’ largest customer, along with Samsung, Zepp Health, LifeSignals Group and Withings. The project is therefore serious.
Existing Apple Watch sensors use a mix of infrared light and visible to measure both heart rate and oxygen saturation. Rockley is working on more sensitive versions of these sensors, which would be able to measure the sugar level, that of alcohol, and the blood pressure. Little joke.
To do this, Rockley Photonics reduced a spectrometer desktop the size of a chip. The miniaturized version reduces performance and the size of the opening that catches light. But Rockley managed to improve the signal-to-noise ratio considerably over a full-size machine. This makes the data usable to capture a wide range of biophysical and biochemical markers.
There will be two models of sensors
He is currently developing two models of optical sensors. A basic system capable of measuring heart rate, oxygen saturation, blood pressure, hydration and body temperature.
The “advanced” model will be able to measure blood sugar, carbon monoxide, lactate and alcohol level. almost nothing. The company has assured that the first generation of these new sensors “attachable” to a smartwatch will be launched in the first semester 2022.
