Mosquitoes are some of the most adept bloodsuckers on Earth. With a quick jab, sharp mouthparts plunge into human skin in search of aΒ juicy blood vessel.
Itβs no surprise, then, that bioengineers have used the pest as inspiration for a device to periodically and independently sample theΒ blood of individuals with diabetes. Fingerpricking, the most common method used today, can be a tedious and painful process, and many companies have raced to develop alternative approaches, including glucose sensorΒ implantsΒ and semi-automated monitoringΒ devices.
Enter the βe-Mosquito.β Since 2007, a team at the University of Calgary in Canada has been developing a fully autonomous, minimally invasive device that is pre-programmed to βbiteβ oneβs skin at various times during the day to monitor blood glucose levels. They recently premiered theirΒ latest prototype, a watch-like device that taps into capillaries under the skin and deposits a drip of blood onto a glucose-testing strip.
βThe idea is to have periodic, spontaneous and autonomous biting resulting in reliable blood testing,β saysΒ Martin Mintchev, senior author on the project. βItβs a very significant step in demonstrating autonomous contact with the capillary.β In addition to monitoring blood glucose, Mintchev imagines the device someday being used to do other blood tests, such as genetic testing or cancer screening, from the comfort of oneβs home.
Early versions of the device relied on piezoelectric actuators to pierce the skin with a needle, but those moving parts were expensive and bulky, so the first prototypes were roughlyΒ the size of a deck of cardsβnot something youβd want to wear on your wrist or arm.
Read more:Β E-Mosquito Drinks Your Blood to Keep You Healthy