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| Google unveils 'smart contact lens' to measure glucose | Google unveils 'smart contact lens' to measure glucose |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Google has said it is testing a "smart contact lens" that can help measure glucose levels in tears. | Google has said it is testing a "smart contact lens" that can help measure glucose levels in tears. |
| It uses a "tiny" wireless chip and a "miniaturised" glucose sensor embedded between two layers of lens material. | It uses a "tiny" wireless chip and a "miniaturised" glucose sensor embedded between two layers of lens material. |
| The firm said it is also working on integrating tiny LED lights that could light up to indicate that glucose levels have crossed certain thresholds. | The firm said it is also working on integrating tiny LED lights that could light up to indicate that glucose levels have crossed certain thresholds. |
| But it added that "a lot more work" needed to be done to get the technology ready for everyday use. | But it added that "a lot more work" needed to be done to get the technology ready for everyday use. |
| "It's still early days for this technology, but we've completed multiple clinical research studies which are helping to refine our prototype," the firm said in a blogpost. | "It's still early days for this technology, but we've completed multiple clinical research studies which are helping to refine our prototype," the firm said in a blogpost. |
| "We hope this could someday lead to a new way for people with diabetes to manage their disease." | "We hope this could someday lead to a new way for people with diabetes to manage their disease." |
| 'Exciting development' | |
| Many global firms have been looking to expand in the wearable technology sector - seen by many as a key growth area in the coming years. | |
| Within the sector, many firms have been looking specifically at technology targeted at healthcare. | |
| Google's latest foray with the smart contact lens is aimed at a sector where consumer demand for such devices is expected to grow. | |
| According to the International Diabetes Federation, one in ten people across the world's population are forecast to have diabetes by 2035. | |
| People suffering from the condition need to monitor their glucose levels regularly as sudden spikes or drops are dangerous. | |
| At present, majority of them do so by testing drops of blood. | |
| Google said it was testing a prototype of the lens that could "generate a reading once per second". | |
| "This is an exciting development for preventive healthcare industry," Manoj Menon, managing director of consulting firm Frost & Sullivan told the BBC. | |
| "It is likely to spur a range of other innovations towards miniaturizing technology to use it in wearable devices to help people monitor their bodies better." |