RFID Glucose Monitoring Device: Finally an affordable painless BG monitoring device is in near future

VeriChip Patents RFID Glucose Monitoring Device


This chip would be implanted in the patient using a syringe, replacing
the need for diabetics to draw their own blood to test blood sugar
content.

Ref: http://tinyurl.com/yk4vj5

By K.C. Jones
TechWeb News

Oct 31, 2006 02:15 PM

Digital Angel Corp. says it has received a patent for a
syringe-implantable glucose-sensing RFID microchip.

The microchip, also called an embedded biosensor system, measures
glucose concentration in diabetics. Digital Angel received U.S.
approval for its patent last week. The company is seeking international
patent protection.

Digital Angel said its sister company, VeriChip would market and
distribute the microchip. CEO and President Kevin McGrath said patent
approval is a major step in getting the device to the public.

"A glucose-sensing microchip could profoundly impact the 230 million
people worldwide living with diabetes," McGrath said through a prepared
statement. "We recognize that extensive work is required to
commercialize this product, including the time and investment required
for development, clinical trials and FDA approval. Still, we view this
as an incredibly important advancement in the world of diabetes
management."

The biosensor chip has a passive transponder, a glucose sensor and
integrated circuitry. A wireless scanner reads and displays the glucose
level. The scanner signal powers the microchip.

"This is a landmark development in the world of diabetes management,"
Dr. Joseph Feldman, Chairman of the Emergency/Trauma Department of
Hackensack University Medical Center, said through a prepared
statement.

Feldman, a VeriChip customer said it is "often painful, cumbersome and
discouraging, and especially burdensome for the young and the elderly,"
to monitor their blood sugar.

Most glucose monitoring kits use lancets, or pins, to draw blood.
Earlier this year, Medtronic released wireless monitors that are
coupled with insulin pumps, which deliver insulin through a small tube
inserted under the skin. Those kits also use radio frequency
technology.

Digital Angel produces electronic tags for livestock, pets, fish and
humans. The company said its glucose-sensing microchip could monitor
glucose levels in livestock as well.

Related news for those who pump: May be an old news for them!

September 01, 2006
RFID In Healthcare: Diabetes Management Device

Ref: http://tinyurl.com/y6wn7b

With diabetes becoming an epidemic in many countries, due to a
sedentary lifestyle full of rich food, the demand for insulin is likely
to grow. Several of the diabetics I know find that having a busy life
means running the risk of not administering their dosage at the right
time or in the right amounts - with potentially fatal consequences. To
help combat some of the difficulties of managing diabetes, a prototype
insulin pump system using RFID-based NFC (Near Field Communication)
technology has been developed.

The system, built jointly by Cambridge Consultants and Philips
Semiconductors (now known as NXP) consists of an insulin pump and
glucometer as separate devices that communicate with each other using
NFC wireless transmission. As per a typical glucometer, a drop of blood
has to be place on a test strip. The glucometer will determine the
appropriate dosage of insulin, which the user can decide to accept or
reject. If s/he accepts, the glucometer is waved near the insulin pump.
Both devices have an NFC chip. The pump applies insulin via a catheter.

This is, in my opinion, a brilliant application of RFID, reducing some
of the difficulties that diabetics have in managing the disease. I'm
hoping to see more such applications in the area of healthcare. It'd be
interesting if someone could combine some of the ideas in this system
with VitaCraft's RFID-enabled cookware, to come up controlled recipes
for diabetics.

This would be a great device for T2s who engage in long-duration & high
heart-rate activities, too. Assuming this thing can provide near continuous
BG readings via wireless sensors, one could regulate carb intake during LD
exercise to ensure not going too high while also not letting BG dip too low,
which would be an effective means of avoiding the dreaded "bonk".

Somehow, I'm doubtful it will ever become useful for my purposes, however.
At least not in my lifetime.

Anil wrote:
:: VeriChip Patents RFID Glucose Monitoring Device
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