Apple has been working on adding blood glucose monitoring to its Apple Watch smartwatch for some time now. Moreover, we are talking about a non-invasive method that does not require any injections. The company is getting closer to implementing this feature and is currently in its “proof of concept” phase, according to Bloomberg sources. The technology is already good enough. It will be ready to enter the market when it is possible to minimize the relevant components.
The technology that uses lasers to measure glucose levels under the skin is not new in itself. But earlier it required the use of fairly large equipment, which meant desktop use in stationary conditions. But now it has been improved to such an extent that all the necessary components are placed in a prototype of a small wearable device the size of an iPhone.
Not only will the system help people with diabetes monitor their condition, the sources say, but it will ideally warn people with prediabetes (a condition of impaired carbohydrate metabolism that leads to a high risk of developing diabetes). And thanks to some changes, it is even possible to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes (adult diabetes).
Presumably, the project has been in development for a long time. It all started in 2010, when an ailing Steve Jobs forced his company to buy blood glucose monitoring startup RareLight. Apple kept its plans secret, and the project was managed through a separate company, Avolonte Health, which it then transformed into the Exploratory Design Group (XDG). The project was attended by CEO Tim Cook, head of hardware Apple Watch Eugene Kim and other senior executives.
Although the trials are going well, according to Bloomberg, a real device with non-invasive blood glucose detection is likely to appear only in a few years.
Source: Engadget
