Approximately 96 million American adults suffer from pre-diabetes, more than one in three, and the vast majority are unaware of it. Current diagnosis requires a clinical blood glucose test or a home glucometer device. Access and cost are major factors in testing for a condition that may be asymptomatic for years, so his 80% of patients are not diagnosed until they develop more serious problems, such as her type 2 diabetes. That’s no surprise.
Researchers at the University of Washington (UW) have used existing smartphone technology to develop a system called GlucoScreen that uses redesigned test strips to accurately measure blood sugar levels for early detection of pre-diabetes. I am designing.
People over the age of 45, family members with type 2 diabetes, a history of gestational diabetes, or being overweight are at increased risk of prediabetes. Fortunately, if the condition is detected early enough, such as through preemptive routine testing, it can be reversed through physical activity and dietary changes.
“In a traditional screen, a person applies a drop of blood to a test strip, and the blood chemically reacts with the enzymes on the test strip,” says head of UW’s Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering. Author Anandghan Waghmare says: “We use a glucometer to analyze that response and measure blood sugar.
“We used the same test strip and added a cheap circuit that communicated the data generated by that reaction to the smartphone. We simulated tapping the screen,” he added. If I am at risk, I know to follow up with my doctor. ”
The system will make sure the user sticks both ends of the test strip to the back of the phone, covering the camera flash. After pricking your finger with a lancet, a drop of blood is applied to the biosensor at the end of the test strip, just like a normal test. With the help of a photodiode driven by the phone’s flash, data from the blood analysis is transferred to the device, where machine learning within the app sifts through the information and calculates a blood glucose reading.
Raymond C. Smith/University of Washington
The system has no complicated electronics and does not require Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The results of this study also suggest that the GlucoScreen system offers nearly the same accuracy as current home glucometer devices.
“Because we use the built-in capacitive touch screen found in all smartphones, our solution can be easily adapted to a wide range of applications. Being ‘plug and play’. No need to root your phone. In fact, you don’t have to do anything on the phone other than install the app. No matter which model you have, it’s ready to go. ”
Although only a prototype, further clinical and manufacturing studies are needed, it is a promising addition to the rapidly developing technological environment, allowing people to literally do their own medical check-ups. increase.
Co-author Matthew Thompson, Ph.D., Professor, UW School of Medicine, said: “And usually the biggest barriers are faced by those who need glucose testing the most.”
A study was published in a journal ACM Proceedings on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies.
See how GlucoScreen works in the video below.
GlucoScreen: Smartphone-Based Readerless Glucose Test Strip for Pre-Diabetes Screening
Source: University of Washington
