Biological sensors on frames help control blood sugar

According to thenextweb.com, Brazilian and American scientists have collaborated to develop biosensors mounted on frames, which can measure blood sugar through the user's tears.

Biological sensors mounted on frames developed by Brazilian and American scientists, can measure blood sugar through the user's tears without having to test painful blood with the risk of infection.

Biological sensor mounted on the frame, can measure blood sugar through the user's tears - (Photo: Juliane R. Sempionatto Moreto).

The device will help control blood sugar levels in people with diabetes, a disease affecting 62 million people in the US and 380 million people worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in recent decades, there has been an increase in the incidence of diabetes, with the fastest growth in low and middle income countries. By 2035, an estimated 580 million people will be affected.

Many people with this disease use a hand-held glucose meter but need to be stabbed to determine their finger. This process can be repeated several times a day, causing pain and risk of infection.

A new biological sensor mounted on the frame can identify glucose molecules in a user's tears. It can also measure blood sugar, vitamins and blood alcohol levels.

Biological sensors have the ability to measure biological or chemical reactions and emit signals that are proportional to the concentration of a particular substance. They are increasingly being developed and used to speed up laboratory tests, monitor health conditions, diagnose and prevent disease, even in some developing countries like Brazil.

When exposed to glucose oxidase, tears change the electron flow, forming a signal that is recorded and processed by the device installed in the frame. The device sends results in real time to a computer or smartphone.