Samsung going full force on non-invasive glucose monitoring for wearable devices
Samsung wants to beat Apple in the needle-free glucose monitoring technology race for wearables and other devices. But Apple isn’t really behind in the R&D except the firm hit a snag due to tech limitations. The most likely issue is reducing the size of the sensor to make it fit and work inside a smartwatch.
The South Korean tech giant has invested a lot to offer its customers wearable gadgets equipped with a suite of health-related services. The teased Galaxy Ring is a sign of sincerity and if everything goes well, we might see it soon.
So, how does it work? Non-invasive blood sugar monitoring means no need for the device to pierce the user’s skin – no needles or anything sharp. A sensor must read prevailing indicators linked to glucose levels to predict the rise and fall, but Samsung is quiet about specifics.
We can guess one possible way. A tech developed by the University of California San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering can detect blood sugar levels by analyzing the user’s sweat. It involves a handheld device that takes sweat samples for analysis. This tech or something similar may be ported on a wearable.
Samsung already developed wearables that can read the user’s blood pressure, temperature, and even heart rate. But the Galaxy Ring seems the best model for a health suite since it’s worn 24/7, continuously monitoring the user. If sweat analysis is the route, it may reveal more than just glucose, including indicators about certain diseases.
These two companies aren’t the first to take on this challenge. HUAWEI offers needle-free glucose monitoring via Watch 4. It reads and analyzes 10 related metrics but it cannot measure blood sugar levels directly.
We’ll keep you updated once we know about this mysterious Samsung tech.
