Noninvasive Ocular Glucose Sensing via Light Refraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current invasive methods for monitoring blood glucose levels in diabetes patients are painful, risky, and have low compliance, while noninvasive methods have not yet obtained FDA approval.
Innovation Solution
A noninvasive system that measures glucose concentration by analyzing light refraction from fiducial markers in the eye, such as the iris, using a beam of non-collimated light and data capturing modules to correlate glucose levels with refracted light patterns, leveraging the correlation between aqueous humor and blood glucose levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If invasive methods are used to monitor blood glucose levels, then measurement accuracy is improved, but patient comfort and compliance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical invasive puncture system with an optical measurement system. Instead of using needles to obtain blood samples, the invention uses light refraction through the cornea to measure glucose levels noninvasively, substituting mechanical tissue penetration with optical field interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the cornea as an intermediary medium that allows optical access to measure glucose levels in the aqueous humor. The cornea serves as a natural window that transmits light while containing the glucose-containing aqueous humor, enabling indirect measurement without breaking the skin barrier.
2Reliability
If invasive methods are used to obtain blood samples, then measurement reliability is improved, but risk of infection and pain increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical invasive puncture system with an optical measurement system. Instead of using needles to obtain blood samples, the invention uses light refraction through the cornea to measure glucose levels noninvasively, substituting mechanical tissue penetration with optical field interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the eye's own cornea and aqueous humor as the measurement medium, eliminating the need for external sampling devices that could introduce infection. The body's natural structures serve the dual purpose of protecting against infection while enabling measurement.
3Ease of operation
If noninvasive methods are used to measure glucose levels, then patient comfort is improved, but measurement accuracy and FDA approval status deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces the cornea as an intermediary medium that allows optical access to measure glucose levels in the aqueous humor. The cornea serves as a natural window that transmits light while containing the glucose-containing aqueous humor, enabling indirect measurement without breaking the skin barrier.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent measures refractive index changes in the aqueous humor as a proxy for glucose concentration. By detecting optical parameter changes (refraction) rather than directly measuring glucose concentration, the system achieves noninvasive measurement with physiological correlation.
4Ease of operation
If light refraction from fiducial markers is measured, then noninvasive glucose monitoring is achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a standard optical camera system that can capture images for multiple purposes: identifying fiducial markers for positioning and measuring light refraction patterns for glucose detection. This multi-functionality reduces the need for specialized complex instrumentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses digital image processing to create representations of the refraction patterns from fiducial markers. By capturing optical information as digital images and analyzing them computationally, the system avoids the need for complex analog optical measurement devices.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method provides accurate and robust noninvasive glucose monitoring with minimal time lag, correlating well with blood glucose levels, and is capable of predicting glucose concentrations within physiological ranges, overcoming the limitations of existing invasive and noninvasive technologies.
Implementation Method 1
measuring at least light refraction from one or more fiducial markers in an eye of the subject
Data Source
AI summary
A noninvasive method and apparatus for determining analyte concentration (e.g., glucose) in a subject that includes measuring light refraction from at least a portion one or more structures. One example of such structure is the subject's iris.