Patch Antenna Glucose Monitoring via Resonant Frequency Shift
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current non-invasive glucose monitoring technologies are susceptible to external interference and lack accuracy due to factors like body temperature, perspiration, and time lag, while invasive methods pose risks and require frequent calibration and implantable electronics, leading to discomfort and high costs.
Innovation Solution
A non-invasive glucose monitoring system using a patch antenna operating in the ISM band (5.725-5.875 GHz) that measures the shift in resonant frequency to determine blood glucose levels, eliminating the need for internal power and implantable electronics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If non-invasive glucose monitoring technologies are used, then patient comfort and cost are improved, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to susceptibility to external interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary substance (glucose-responsive material) that mediates between the external measurement environment and the internal glucose concentration. This material undergoes specific physical or chemical changes in response to glucose levels, allowing accurate measurement without direct contact with blood, thus resolving the contradiction between non-invasive comfort and measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes parameter changes in the glucose-responsive material (such as optical properties, electrical conductivity, or mechanical properties) that occur in response to glucose concentration variations. By monitoring these parameter changes rather than directly measuring glucose, the system achieves accurate measurements while maintaining non-invasive operation, thereby resolving the accuracy- comfort contradiction.
2Measurement precision
If invasive glucose monitoring methods are used, then measurement accuracy is improved, but patient comfort and device complexity deteriorate due to needle insertion and implantable electronics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electronic sensing components from the patient's body and places them externally. The implantable portion is minimized to only the essential glucose-responsive material, while the complex electronics remain outside the body. This extraction approach maintains measurement accuracy by keeping the sensor close to the measurement site while eliminating the need for complex implantable electronics, thus resolving the contradiction between accuracy and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system is segmented into separate functional components: a minimal implantable sensor element that contacts the measurement site and an external unit containing the complex electronics for signal processing and data analysis. This segmentation allows the implantable portion to remain simple and biocompatible while the complex electronics are housed externally, resolving the contradiction between measurement accuracy and device complexity.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If current CGM devices are used, then continuous monitoring capability is improved, but cost and device complexity increase due to disposable sensor needles
Solution Approach 1:
The glucose-responsive material in the patent is designed to be self-powered or self-regenerating, eliminating the need for disposable components. The material continuously responds to glucose levels without requiring replacement, providing long-term continuous monitoring while reducing device complexity and cost. This self-service approach resolves the contradiction between continuous monitoring duration and device complexity by making the sensor permanently reusable.
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
Provides accurate, real-time glucose monitoring without invasiveness, reducing patient discomfort and costs by utilizing a single antenna to measure blood glucose levels based on resonant frequency shifts.
Implementation Method 1
measures the shift of the resonant frequency of the non-invasive antenna patch sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) of blood in a blood vessel of a patient using a non-invasive sensor composed of a patch antenna operating in the Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) Radio band (5.725 GHz-5.875 GHz). The device determines the blood glucose concentration of the blood in the blood vessel based on the measured shift of the resonant frequency of the non-invasive antenna patch sensor. A radio frequency (RF) synthesizer is used to drive the patch antenna with a fraction of its output coupled to both the antenna and receiver through a directional coupler. In this approach both the transmitted (FWD) and received (REV) power are processed, by demodulating logarithmic amplifiers, which convert the RF signals to corresponding voltages for downstream processing. The resulting voltages are then fed into a microcontroller and the measured shift in resonant frequency is converted to a real-time glucose concentration.