Developed by Craig A. Grimes, professor of electrical engineering and materials science and engineering at Penn State, the glucose biosensor, when placed under the skin, could provide glucose levels for diabetics without a finger prick. Diabetics must monitor the levels of glucose in their blood and adjust insulin injections to maintain normal levels and avoid the complications of the disease. The device, which measures about a centimeter by half a centimeter and is about the depth of a thin hair, is composed of an I-shaped backbone crossed by a series of 10 slightly decreasing bars. The shape vaguely resembles a miniature harp.
The backbone and crossbars are made of a magnetorestrictive metallic glass – a material that changes shape with application of a magnetic field and generates a magnetic field when it changes shape – coated with a polymer that reacts to changes in acidity. This coating is then topped with glucose oxidase, the enzyme that reacts with glucose. The acid sensitive coating makes the device swell or shrink, changing mass depending on the surrounding acidity. The acid that causes the changes comes from the reaction of glucose with glucose oxidase, which produces gluconic acid.
When a magnetic field from the outside is placed near the sensor, the sensor vibrates at a frequency dependent on the mass of the sensor. A magnetic coil can read the magnetic flux of the sensor and determine the amount of glucose in the blood.
This could be a great boon so diabetics who don't check their glucose enough. Imagine continuous monitoring capabilities. Now, this could be real tight control. Unfortunately, it's not currently available.
Some more info here.
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