Glucolight
Researchers at the Swiss University Hospital Zurich have developed a blood sugar monitoring device that takes its readings through the skin rather than from a drop of blood. According to this piece, “Glucolight’s” components are: A microdialysis measuring head, a “smart” membrane, light sources, a pump, and a microfluidics chip with a fluorometer. The membrane contains special dye molecules. Under UV light these molecules alter their chemical structure and become charged. Then, with visible light they revert to their original, neutral structure. Alternating between UV and visible light controls glucose flows through the membrane. “On the other side of the membrane, the glucose is mixed with a fluid and pumped through the microfluidics chip, while enzymes are added to trigger a reaction. During the reaction, a fluorescence appears, which the fluorometer measures, and the computer uses the reading to calculate the glucose concentration.” This research was carried out to get frequent glucose measurements from premature babies. MORE
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