Glasses equipped with biosensors help determine diabetes

Brazilian and American scientists have jointly developed a biosensor for glasses, which can measure blood glucose through the user's tears. The device will help control it in people with diabetes, a disease that affects 62 million people in the United States and 380 million people worldwide.

In recent decades there has been an increase in the incidence of diabetes, with the fastest growth observed in low- and middle-income countries. By 2035, 580 million people may be affected.

Many people with this disease use a portable glucose meter that needs to be pierced with a finger. This process can be repeated several times a day, which is painful and carries a small risk of infection.

A new biosensor with glasses can identify glucose molecules in the user's tears. It can also measure blood sugar, vitamins, and alcohol levels.

Biosensors are capable of measuring biological or chemical reactions and generate a signal proportional to the concentration of a particular substance, hightech.fm reports. They are increasingly being developed and used to speed up laboratory tests, monitor health status, diagnose and prevent disease, even in some developing countries.

When in contact with glucose oxide, tears change the flow of electrons, forming a signal that is recorded and processed by the device installed in the ear hook. He, in turn, sends the results in real-time to a computer or smartphone.