Laser Method In Exchange For Pin Prick To Monitor Blood Sugar

There is a better way of monitoring blood sugar using laser

Diabetic people have a way of testing their own blood sugar through the use of a pin prick to draw blood. While it may be a little bit disconcerting doing this to yourself, this is the fastest way to initially know your level of blood sugar especially if you're having attacks. Researchers from Princeton University, however, found a way to eliminate the pin prick process by developing a laser to determine an individual's own blood sugar.

The Laser Method of Blood Sugar Monitoring

Claire Gmachl, a Professor of Electrical Engineering at Eugene Higgins cited the importance of incorporating engineering process to regular people with regular needs in their daily lives. The said laser to determine the blood sugar is developed in order to make the lives of people with diabetes easier by eliminating frequent or regular drawing of blood for tests.

In a published article on Biomedical Optics Express, the laser works by pointing the laser to the palm in which, it travels inside, passing through skin cells without damaging the cells. It is then absorbed by molecules composed of blood sugar. To determine the rate of blood sugar, the level of absorption must be first detected in order to provide an accurate blood sugar level.

When testing for blood sugar, glucose monitoring should be within the level of 20% below or above the normal level to be deemed valid. The laser monitor showed an 84% accuracy that somehow surprised the developers giving, it is their first time to test the laser monitor. Sabbir Liakat, the author said they were amazed by the results of the tests and its accuracy rate.

The effectiveness of the Laser Blood Sugar Monitoring

Although the laser monitor is said to be working with impressive accuracy, Liakat said, they are still trying to improve it. The experiment started as a small group of engineers working on a low budget, low profile discovery. Because of its various characteristics, the group had a problem adjusting its cooling system as well as the size of the apparatus which they are currently working to improve it. In the summer, they hope to mobilize the experiment to acquire a broader scope in terms of samples and they are currently targeting clinics to get their measurements.

The frequency of the laser's infrared is what's making it work perfectly. When using the laser, not all frequency works the same as it can also be determined by the kind of substance the laser is made. The comparison made to test the level of blood sugar using the laser monitor was conducted by the researchers by experimenting it to three healthy individuals. Each of them were tested for blood sugar using the pin prick method and the laser method. After this, they were required to eat at least 20 candies that are very high in sugar and tested again. The pin prick showed a more accurate level of sugar, however, the laser even though said to be in its developmental stage recorded a blood sugar measurement that is still within the range of acceptable measurement.

Other Beneficial Uses of the Laser

The laser monitor is seen not only to help people with diabetes, but also to other medical problems that needs the same kind of testing. Different kinds of laser produces a different frequency of light that can immensely make a significant difference to each experiment, however, researchers confirmed that while laser lights show different frequencies, they may show the same amount of recorded blood sugar level. The key in determining an accurate record is to make sure you know the kind of frequency a laser makes.

It is no secret that previous studies of the said invention has been hindered by many setbacks from the design to its maintenance. Researchers have worked day in and out to be able to improve the products in such a way that it is going to be a household product for diabetic people. In the years to come, diabetic people will not have to injure the pain and stress of having to draw blood from them in order to monitor their glucose level, instead, they will acquire this laser device to be comfortably used at home.

A quantum cascade monitor produces a cascaded frequency that can determine a certain level of blood sugar. A helium neon laser on the other hand, produces a laser band light. Two different outputs with only one result and that is specific level of glucose in the body. These are just two of the several ways a laser frequency can help in monitoring glucose level.

The same type of discovery was made by a group of German researchers calling the process of using infrared to determine the blood sugar level as the sweet melody of glucose. By using a photo acoustic spectroscopy (PAS), they able to apply a painless wave of laser light to the skin without damaging the cells. Through this, they measure the sounds recorded as glucose tries to absorb the light. The team, however experienced disturbances in their experiment and these are mainly caused by disturbances caused by humidity and temperature. Researchers then use the signals in determining the level of glucose found in the skin fluids one “hundredth of a millimeter found beneath the human skin.

The inventors of these devices have one goal in their mind and that is to provide a painless and most comfortable way to monitor blood sugar level. These inventions are seen to benefit people with diabetes and required to have their sugar levels monitored every single day.