Apple has been known for some time to be working on designing a reliable system that makes this possible continuous assessment of blood glucose levelsa necessary test in the daily life of many millions of people who suffer from some type of diabetes (including gestational diabetes), prediabetes, and which in some cases is also recommended for people with hypertension, overweight, hypercholesterolemia over 45 and with other risk factors.

Close blood glucose monitoring is the ideal scenario for anyone at risk of a sudden rise or fall in blood glucose below safe levels, as early action in the event of an episode of hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia can make the difference between horror and a fatal outcomeand the problem is that there are many internal and external factors that can trigger an episode of this type at any time.

The problem is that these types of tests are invasive, either with a glucometer that forces a person to perform periodic checks, or with a continuous monitor that requires a sensor to be inserted under the skin, which, for various reasons, is not available to everyone. And we must remember that according to various studies, in 2021 there were 537 million adults with diabetes and 318 million with prediabetes. And this is little compared to the future estimates that point to 700 million people with diabetes and 482 million with prediabetes by 2045.

For several years now, Apple has focused the utility of its Apple Watch on health, sports and safety, adding new features in these respects with each new generation of its smartwatch. From oximetry to heart data analysis to detect possible health problems, those from Cupertino have been able to take the lead when it comes to device quantification, setting a standard that other manufacturers later follow.

With the issue that concerns us in this report, we are undoubtedly on the next huge step in this regard, although we must remember that there is still much work to be done. And as we can read in Bloomberg, Apple has already made a breakthrough in non-invasive glucose measurementto the extent that we developed a proof of concept that would be fully functional.

To this end, the prototype, which is currently the size of an iPhone, employs silicon photonics and a measurement process called optical absorption spectroscopy. The system uses lasers that emit specific wavelengths of light into the area under the skin where interstitial fluid (substances that leak from capillaries) is present and can be absorbed by glucose. The light is then reflected back to the sensor in a way that shows the glucose concentration, and by reading the data, the algorithm determines the blood glucose level.

This technology is still a few years away from reaching the Apple Watch, because as I already indicated, the size of the current proof of concept is similar to that of a company’s smartphone, so there is still a lot of work to be done in terms of miniaturizing it and of course keeping it current effectiveness during it. However, the mere fact that we have been able to prove that a permanent monitor can be run with these elements is undoubtedly excellent news for many people.