We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
LGC Clinical Diagnostics

Download Mobile App




Smartphone-Based Readerless System Measures Blood Glucose for Early Detection of Prediabetes

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 03 Apr 2023

Prediabetes is characterized by high blood sugar levels that may progress to type 2 diabetes. More...

Fortunately, this condition can be reversed with lifestyle changes such as a healthier diet and exercise, if detected early. However, many individuals with prediabetes are unaware of their condition, which puts them at greater risk of developing diabetes and complications such as heart disease, kidney failure, and vision loss. Screening for prediabetes typically involves laboratory testing at a healthcare facility or using a portable glucometer for at-home testing. Unfortunately, access and cost may limit widespread screening. Now, researchers have discovered an optimal approach to enhance early detection of prediabetes.

Researchers at the University of Washington (Seattle, WA, USA) have developed GlucoScreen, which takes advantage of the capacitive touch sensing abilities of smartphones to measure blood glucose levels without the need for a separate reader. This approach will help reduce the cost and increase accessibility of glucose testing, particularly for large-scale one-time screenings. GlucoScreen test strips measure the electrochemical reaction created by mixing blood and enzymes as an amplitude along a curve at a rate of five times per second. The strip then transmits this curve data to the phone encoded as a series of touches at variable speeds using pulse width modulation. “Pulse width” refers to the distance between peaks in the signal - in this case, the length between taps. Each pulse width represents a value on the curve, with a greater distance between taps indicating a higher amplitude of the electrochemical reaction on the strip.

The new GlucoScreen system has several advantages over traditional glucose testing methods. By leveraging the capacitive touch sensing capabilities of smartphones, it eliminates the need for a separate reader, making glucose testing more accessible and cost-effective for one-time screening of a large population. Additionally, the system does not require complicated electronic components, reducing the cost of manufacturing and power consumption compared to conventional communication methods like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The test strip is designed with photodiodes, which draw power from the phone's flash, eliminating the need for batteries or a USB connection. The GlucoScreen app walks users through the testing process, and after the data is transmitted from the strip to the phone, the app uses machine learning to analyze the data and calculate a blood glucose reading.

The researchers conducted both in vitro and clinical testing to evaluate their approach. In the clinical study, they enrolled 75 consenting patients who were scheduled to undergo a laboratory blood glucose test. The performance of GlucoScreen was compared against that of a conventional strip and glucometer, with the laboratory test serving as the ground truth. While additional testing is required, the preliminary results suggest that GlucoScreen's accuracy is comparable to that of a glucometer. Of significance, the system was found to be accurate at the critical threshold between a normal blood glucose level of 99 mg/dL or below and prediabetes, which is defined as a blood glucose level between 100 and 125 mg/dL. The researchers believe that GlucoScreen's performance will improve with further inputs.

“In conventional screening, a person applies a drop of blood to a test strip, where the blood reacts chemically with the enzymes on the strip. A glucometer is used to analyze that reaction and deliver a blood glucose reading,” explained lead author Anandghan Waghmare, a Ph.D. student in the Allen School’s UbiComp Lab. “We took the same test strip and added inexpensive circuitry that communicates data generated by that reaction to any smartphone through simulated tapping on the screen. GlucoScreen then processes the data and displays the result right on the phone, alerting the person if they are at risk so they know to follow up with their physician.”

“Because we use the built-in capacitive touch screen that’s present in every smartphone, our solution can be easily adapted for widespread use. Additionally, our approach does not require low-level access to the capacitive touch data, so you don’t have to access the operating system to make GlucoScreen work.” explained co-author Jason Hoffman, a Ph.D. student in the Allen School. “We’ve designed it to be ‘plug and play.’ You don’t need to root the phone — in fact, you don’t need to do anything with the phone, other than install the app. Whatever model you have, it will work off the shelf.”

“One of the barriers I see in my clinical practice is that many patients can’t afford to test themselves, as glucometers and their test strips are too expensive. And, it’s usually the people who most need their glucose tested who face the biggest barriers,” said Thompson, a family physician and professor in the UW Department of Family Medicine and Department of Global Health. “Given how many of my patients use smartphones now, a system like GlucoScreen could really transform our ability to screen and monitor people with prediabetes and even diabetes.”

Related Links:
University of Washington


Gold Member
Antipsychotic TDM Assays
Saladax Antipsychotic Assays
Serological Pipet Controller
PIPETBOY GENIUS
New
Pan-Cancer Panel
TruSight Oncology 500
New
DNA/RNA Extraction/Purification Kit
Nucleic Acid Extraction or Purification Kit
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: CitoCBC is the world first cartridge-based CBC to be granted CLIA Waived status by FDA (Photo courtesy of CytoChip)

Disposable Cartridge-Based Test Delivers Rapid and Accurate CBC Results

Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests, crucial for diagnosing diseases, monitoring therapies, and conducting routine health screenings. However, more than 90% of physician... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: A simple blood test could replace surgical biopsies for early detecion of heart transplant rejection (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Blood Test Detects Organ Rejection in Heart Transplant Patients

Following a heart transplant, patients are required to undergo surgical biopsies so that physicians can assess the possibility of organ rejection. Rejection happens when the recipient’s immune system identifies... Read more

Pathology

view channel
These images illustrate how precision oncology Organ Chips recapitulate individual patients’ responses to chemotherapy (Photo courtesy of Wyss Institute at Harvard University)

Cancer Chip Accurately Predicts Patient-Specific Chemotherapy Response

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), one of the two primary types of esophageal cancer, ranks as the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and currently lacks effective targeted therapies.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.