Biosensor monitors glucose from fluids other than blood

Developed by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems IMS, the new body-worn biosensor overcomes the limitations of previous devices that were said to be too big, imprecise and consumed too much power.

According to a statement, the principle of measurement involves an electrochemical reaction that is activated with an enzyme. Glucose oxidase converts glucose into hydrogen peroxide and other chemicals whose concentration can be measured with a potentiostat. This measurement is used for calculating the glucose level.

A feature of the biosensor is a chip measuring 0.5 x 2.0mm, which contains the entire diagnostic system.

‘It even has an integrated analogue-digital converter that converts the electrochemical signals into digital data,’ said Tom Zimmermann, business unit manager at IMS.

The biosensor transmits data via a wireless interface, so a patient can monitor his or her glucose level via a mobile device.

‘In the past, you used to need a circuit board the size of a half-sheet of paper,’ said Zimmermann. ‘And you also had to have a driver. But even these things are no longer necessary with our new sensor.’