Researchers are  working on  creating a breakthrough in building a successful noninvasive glucose monitor.

The current commercial glucose sensors are accurate; however, they require the patient to prick the tip of their finger in order to run a blood test.

This method is not only a tedious job for the patient, but it also has risks of infection.

Many have begun researching minimally invasive or  noninvasive glucose sensors as a solution.

Diabetes Mellitus is a worldwide health problem in which the number of patients every year has increased.

The World Health Organization estimated 693 million adult diabetics worldwide by 2045, compared to 451 million in 2017.

The case of Korean diabetic patients is no exception.

As of 2020, according to the Diabetes Association, there are 6 million diabetic patients in South Korea.

And in 2010, the number of diabetic patients was 3.12 million, which had doubled in the past decade.

Because people with diabetes lack insulin to control their glucose levels, they must check their blood glucose levels frequently to find any sudden changes during the day.

There have been many attempts to create successful sensors to monitor glucose levels for patients.

Many have shown improvement; however, problems still need to be fixed to make a successful sensor and commercialize it to the public.

To make a new non-painful and non-tedious way of sensing glucose, scientists have developed  different types of noninvasive glucose sensors.

These sensors have different ways of sensing changes in glucose levels.

Some use electromagnetic waves, or optical waves, to examine glucose concentration.

Some examples of techniques that are used are NIR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, ultrasound, optical polarimetry, and microwave sensing.

Each sensor has its own merits and limitations.

NIR spectroscopy sensors have high water permeability and are relatively cheap; however, they have difficulty sensing small amounts of glucose.

Raman spectroscopy sensors have a low sensitivity to temperature, but are weak to interference from other substances.

Ultrasound sensors can penetrate through most skins, and skin color or depth does not affect its reading much; on the other hand, it is highly susceptible to changes in temperature.

Optical polarimetry sensors have a very high resolution but are also sensitive to temperature changes like Ultrasound sensors do.

Lastly, microwave sensors can scan deep through the skin and are sensitive even to minor changes in glucose levels.

But, it has low selectivity, meaning the sensor cannot differentiate well between glucose and other substances, such as salt.

All types of these sensors are being thoroughly researched, hoping to create a successful sensor.

These sensors are also looked upon by companies such as Samsung and Apple.

These companies are trying to incorporate noninvasive glucose sensors in their smartwatches. 

Unfortunately, the situation shows that more time will be needed for this incorporation to succeed.

Nonetheless, experts expect that an accurate and commercialized noninvasive glucose sensor will be out in the market shortly, opening up a new era for medical equipment.

SeokJun Kim
Grade 11
Woodberry Forest School