The device is called Easy Check. It has been developed by the company, PositiveID Corporation, whom is also partnering with two leading diabetes research organizations, the DRI at the University of Miami, and the Schneider Children's Medical Center of Isreal.
Easy Check is a device that will determine what a diabetic's blood glucose level is based on the amount of acetone detected in the person's breath.
Yep! You heard right! In the person's breath! That means no more pricking fingers a dozen times a day!!
Basically, the person will breathe into a machine, the breath enters the machine and the acetone in the person's breath mixes with a proprietary chemical compound, which will start a chemical reaction. The reaction is then measured, and software inside the device will be able to, in a nut-shell, tell you what the person's blood sugar level is, based on his/her levels of acetone.
When I first read about this, I'll admit, I immediately brushed it off thinking that it would never work out. But, since I've had some time to think, I will say this...
While I still have my questions regarding how accurate this development could be, compared to using a blood glucometer to check my Little Man's bg's... I must also give credit where credit is due(the scientists are smarter than me!), and keep in mind that this isn't on the market yet and can still take a few years yet to get past it's clinical trials and become FDA approved. That means, there's still time for the wonderful researchers to hash out all the "bugs" and make this baby just as accurate as our beloved glucometers today!
After this "light bulb" came on, so to speak... curiosity got the best of me.
I decided to go to the PositiveID Corporation website, and do a little browsing.
I came across three Press Releases about the Easy Check. You can read them here, here and here.
And, of course, after reading all of that... curiosity almost killed this cat... it lead me to reading other press releases I came across on the PositiveID website.
I was quite impressed with one in particular!
Appearently, PositiveID has received certification from one of the largest wireless providers based in the U.S., AT&T!
What does this mean?? Well...
PositiveID has developed a device, called iglucose system, designed to send blood glucose readings and wirelessly send the readings to family, caregivers, and health care professionals by a text message, email, or fax...or even by the device's own management portal!
Now, how COOL is that?!
Often times, I hear of many parents and kids with diabetes, communicating with each other via text messages, while the kids are in school, at sleepovers, out with friends, etc. This would ultimately be the same thing, but, by the sounds of it, it does it almost instantaneously upon taking the blood sugar reading!
Best of all... it's already been cleared by the FDA and has passed the FCC requirements to sell the device in the U.S! Also, as quoted from one of their press releases...
The iglucose system is compatible with market-leading glucometers such as Johnson & Johnson LifeScan®, Nipro Diagnostic™ True™, Abbott Freestyle®, and Bayer Breeze® and Contour® meters.However, I also noticed, while checking out their website, that it seems they are also making an iglucose glucometer to go with the device as well!
While I don't believe it has hit the market as of yet (based on checking out the webpage dedicated to the iglucose), I think it is safe to say, it will soon!
It also appears as if they are coming up with it's own glucometer as well.
Feel free to read the press releases about the iglucose system, the most recent ones being here dated Jan 9,2012, and here dated Jan 30, 2012.
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