This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will demonstrate a new non-invasive glucose sensor for diabetes patients. Similar in approach to pulse oximetry, the sensor measures the intensity of light scattered by epidermis at two wavelengths to provide a sensitive and specific reading of the patient's blood glucose concentration. This approach will enable the construction of a continuous glucose monitor with wearable form factors (small size, low weight) and low cost. This device will greatly improve the ability of diabetes patients to control their glucose level and eventually support an automated closed-loop insulin delivery system (artificial pancreas). The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is improvement in the health of millions of diabetes patients and reducing the large and growing cost of treating the disease. This will be achieved by eliminating the discomfort of repeated blood tests and providing more frequent glucose readings. Diabetes is a chronic disease with no cure. It is a leading cause of heart disease, stroke, kidney malfunction, amputations and blindness in the adult population. According to the American Diabetes Association, the direct cost of treating diabetes and its complications is ~10% of the entire cost of the US healthcare system.
