The research team at NIST, the United States’ industrial standards agency, has reported on the development of glucose sensors by modifying sensors found in nearly every modern smartphone.
The actual process of measuring blood sugar levels involves using a hydrogel sheet that expands or contracts based on the varying sugar levels in the tested samples. At the end of the hydrogel sheet is an attached iron substance that alters the magnetic field levels and is then converted into readings on a mobile phone via a needle sensor.
The research team stated that this hydrogel sheet can be produced at a low cost, but for practical use, a production line for mass production and long-term storage must be developed. Furthermore, there may be future developments in hydrogel sheets for detecting other substances such as DNA fragments, specific proteins, or histamines that indicate immune system activity.
Source: NIST
TLDR: NIST researchers have developed a glucose sensor by adapting smartphone sensors, using a hydrogel sheet that changes based on sugar levels, with potential for detecting other substances in the future.
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