laser device may end pin pricks for diabetics - digital laser measuring device

Researchers use specialized lasers to measure blood sugar, a progression that allows people with diabetes to check their condition without bleeding.
Researchers at Princeton University measured blood sugar by shining a special laser on the palm of a person's hand.
The laser passes through the skin cells and does not cause damage and is partially absorbed by sugar molecules in the patient's body.
The researchers used absorption to measure blood sugar levels.
"We are working to translate engineering solutions into useful tools that people use in their daily lives," said Claire Gmachl, professor of electrical engineering at Eugene Higgins and senior fellow at the project.
"Through this work, we want to improve the lives of many people with diabetes who rely on frequent blood glucose monitoring," said Gmachl . ".
Sabbir Liakat, a graduate student in electrical engineering and lead author of the paper, said the team was pleasantly surprised by the accuracy of this approach.
Glucose Monitor is required to produce blood
The sugar reading is within 20 per cent of the actual level of the patient;
Even earlier versions of the system met this standard.
The current version is 84 accurate, says Liakat.
To carry out their experiments, the researchers used a quantum cascade laser to measure blood sugar in three healthy people before and after eating 20 sugar beans, which improved blood sugar levels.
The researchers also checked the measurements with their fingers. prick test.
They made repeated measurements in a few weeks.
The researchers said their results showed that the average error generated by laser-measured readings was slightly larger than the standard blood glucose monitor, but still within the range of clinical requirements for accuracy.
"Because quantum cascade lasers can be designed to glow in a very wide wavelength range, its availability is not just for glucose detection," said gmachl, "but as you can imagine, it can be used in other medical sensing and monitoring applications. ".
The study was published in Biomedical Optics Express.