This dream for diabetics could already come true by the end of 2022: a person with type 1 diabetes has had to prick their finger about 80,000 times in their life. Over time you get used to it, but it is never comfortable. The constant »fingersticks« will probably stop soon and a sensor will then non-invasively measure the blood sugar level from the outside. Reading is done via the smartphone. The technology is already there, it’s not a utopia.
The device goes in the bracelet and then on the wrist
The Welsh company Afon Technology is not alone in its efforts; the search for non-invasive blood glucose measurements is in full swing around the world. A special sensor is needed that detects and reports the glucose level from the outside. With Afon, the mini-device must be integrated into a bracelet and worn on the wrist. For example, the bracelet of a smartwatch, which has extra functions, is an option.
Blood sugar control is permanent
The Afon sensor has no interchangeable parts, it should be cheap to buy and cheap to maintain. It not only selectively but permanently monitors blood sugar levels and transmits the data to a receiver via Bluetooth. This receiver can be a smartphone, a tablet or a wearable equipped with the Afon app. According to the developer of the new system, the operating system does not matter. If the blood sugar reaches a critical value, both in the low and high range, the terminal device sounds an alarm in time. The patient can therefore no longer expect unpleasant surprises in daily life.
The release is already planned for the end of 2022, the clinical studies are going well so far. Professor de Vries of the German Profil Institute for Metabolism Research already expressed his enthusiasm. However, the technology will not spread on an ad hoc basis. It could be years before each of the 463 million diabetics on the planet are taken care of. 