Google's Life Sciences division recently partnered with DexCom in order to develop better ways for people with diabetes to routinely check their blood sugar levels. Traditionally, this involves pricking a finger and drawing a small amount of blood for sampling, but both companies agree that there must be a way to get results that's more convenient, painless and mess-free.
The Google and DexCom collaboration is set to create a bandage-sized, disposable device that can temporarily be adhered to the skin. This continuous glucose monitor would be able to read blood sugar levels using a chip embedded under the skin, up to 12 times and hour. Furthermore, the device would be cloud-connected so that this comprehensive data could be easily be viewed and shared with a medical professional.
Considering that last year Google announced a contact lens that can measure glucose levels, there is definitely room for more inventive, non-invasive devices to check glucose levels.
What's Driving This Trend
- Continuous Glucose Monitoring
- Opportunity for non-invasive devices to monitor blood sugar levels
- Disposable Medical Devices
- Potential for convenient and mess-free tools for routine blood glucose testing
- Cloud-connected Healthcare Devices
- Growing demand for devices that provide remote access to health data
Who This Affects Most
- Healthcare
- Potential disruption in the monitoring and management of diabetes
- Technology
- Integration of advanced technologies in medical devices
- Wearable Devices
- Emerging market for wearable medical devices
