Blood sugar monitors are an essential tool in the arsenal for people with diabetes, but have recently also risen in popularity among the general public. Namely, numerous studies have shown that significant blood sugar spikes or drops can lead to diabetes, and people like to monitor them constantly. The only issue – the continuous glucose monitors currently available are invasive, i.e., they require a sensor that needs to be inserted under the skin.
However, a new disruptive technology could soon change that. Singular Wings Medical, a Taiwanese manufacturer of medical equipment, will present a non-invasive blood glucose monitor at the Taiwan Innotech Expo 2024, called BEATINFO. Their approach doesn’t even test the blood sugar directly, but uses an electrocardiogram! Yup, the same technology that has been used to diagnose numerous heart conditions can apparently be also used to monitor your glucose levels!
Singular Wings Medical didn’t discover a new way to monitor blood glucose levels, though. Multiple studies have shown that low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) can affect the heart’s electrical output. Still, these are small changes, usually invisible at first. But that’s where AI comes in; using machine learning, the Taiwanese company can develop algorithms that measure blood glucose. Currently, the company says their device currently has an 80% success rate, but with further model training, it could reach higher accuracy.
The ECG monitor, like most heart rate monitors, attaches to your chest via a chest strap, though a patch can also be used. It weighs just 15 grams (0.5 oz) and is anti-allergenic. Moreover, the new device has no latency, unlike traditional blood glucose monitors, requires no calibration, and produces no waste.
As usual today, the BEATINFO blood glucose monitor will communicate its findings with a smartphone app. Singular Wings Medical already has a BEATINFO Health app for iPhone and Android, which connects directly to the sensor. As you’d expect, the app can notify you if your blood sugar drops or spikes significantly.
