Future Monitors

The Swiss medical device company, Solianis, is developing products for physiological glucose monitoring, including a non-invasive, continuous glucose monitoring device. Based on impedance spectroscopy, their device uses radio waves and changes in skin resistance to monitor changes in blood composition. Solianis employs a multi-sensor approach to monitor various factors, including body temperature, microcirculation, sweat, moisture in the skin and the thickness of different skin layers as often as once a minute.

GlySens Incorporated is a privately held corporation located in San Diego, California that's been around since 1998. Their focus is on an implantable long term continuous glucose monitoring sensor that will help people with diabetes monitor their glucose levels accurately without the usual fingersticks. The system will include 2 parts: the implanted sensor and an external monitor with a display.

UPDATE #1: Recent improved performance of this device can be attributed to a new shell design and a proprietary filling material for their quality control device called the phantom finger. A new algorithm development process is being tested for effectiveness in the transfer of algorithms to other instruments. This update comes from the Chief Scientific Officer, Thomas G. Scecina

This small R&D company, based in Dortmund, Germany, claims it is close to production of what is believed to be a near IR device, although it's operational range of 80% humidity or less may indicate a middle IR device. It has been developed in conjunction with a Korean company, Samsung Fine Chemicals Co., Ltd. Called the GluControl® GC300 and measuring 17.6 x 11.6 x 6 cm, with a weight of 500 grams (18 oz.), it is designed for home use.

Like Mini-Med, Animas' first product to market was an insulin pump, but they are also developing an interesting long-term implanted glucose sensor. Based in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and founded by engineer Katherine Crothall, Animas is putting together the ingredients for an artificial pancreas. Ultimately this sensor will be tied into an insulin infusion pump to provide closed-loop control of blood glucose levels.

SpectRx, Inc. is developing a non-invasive test to screen for diabetes by measuring the intensity of fluorescence and scattering in the lens of the eye. Eye measurements are performed through an undilated pupil with the assistance of a pupil tracking system.

Visual Pathways Inc. is a vision-care diagnostic company with headquarters in Prescott, Arizona. The company received a federal grant to develop a prototype of its GlucoScope™ Monitor, which measures glucose levels in the fluid of the anterior chamber of the eye, in 2003.

Sontra's continous non-invasive glucose monitor, the Symphony™ Diabetes Management System, is being co-developed with Bayer Diagnostics. Their glucose monitor measures glucose diffusing through ultrasonically permeated skin continously for up to twenty four hours. The product consists of SonoPrep instrument, a glucose biosensor patch with RF transmitter and a glucose meter .

Sentek Group, Inc. is developing a non-invasive diagnostic tool targeting diabetes patients that uses a patented Crystalline Colloidal Array (CCA) technology exclusively licensed from the University of Pittsburgh. While Sentek plans to exploit several applications of the technology, the company’s first commercial efforts are for the Glucoview ocular insert that will enable diabetics to continuously monitor their blood glucose levels, and unlike most competing technologies, it will not require finger stabs.

Since 1995, Sensys Medical, Inc., formerly Instrumentation Metrics, has been focused on advancing technology for non-invasive blood glucose monitoring. The Company intends to commercialize a device that will dramatically advance the practice of blood glucose monitoring and the science of diabetes disease management.