€99 watch promises painless glucose monitoring
by John Weir
The market to tackle diabetes is hotting up with the launch of a €99 watch that monitors glucose levels without taking blood.
K’Watch Glucose,aims to grab some of the massive market of 415 million diabetics globally with the watch, that is able to analyse the glucose level by simply “tasting” the skin rather than taking blood samples as other devices do today.First deliveries start in 2018, once the medical certification process has been completed.
Their proprietary system (called SkinTaste®) is a biosensor array that uses micro-needles (<0.5mm long) to collect and analyze chemical compositions of the interstitial fluid found just below the surface of the skin. Contained in a K’apsul®, it is integrated in several devices such as watches or armbands and is available in several versions to allow the analysis of a specific number of biomarkers. They claim to be ahead of companies like Google and Apple in providing a painless solution for diabetes sufferers.
How It Works
The SkinTaste® technology contained within the K’apsul® works by inserting micro-needles that are just <0.5mm long into the skin to probe interstitial fluid, a solution that surrounds the tissue cells. On average, 16% of a person’s body weight (or 10 liters for the average person) is made up of this liquid, which provides cells with nutrients and a means of waste removal. This fluid contains several biomarkers such as glucose, which the SkinTaste® biosensor will analyze.
At the touch of a button, the probes penetrate this layer and pump a tiny drop of interstitial fluid into the K’Watch wearable device for chemical analysis. While the user will feel the slight pressure of the probe pressing on their skin, they feel absolutely no pain as the sensor neither reaches the pain nerve nor a blood vessel, which are typically 1mm or more below the epidermis.
The K’Watch Glucose syncs with a dedicated iOS and Android app that shows results over time. The user can configure the alerts and set reminders either in the app or the device to avoid any measurement oversight. The device also tracks the number of steps taken, the distance traveled, and the calories burned every day.
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