Researchers from Oregon State University (OSU) recently presented a contact lens embedded with transparent biosensors at the 253rd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), which they believe could allow doctors and patients to monitor blood glucose levels and a host of other telltale signs of disease without invasive tests.
The bio-sensing contact lens is reportedly based on a compound made of indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) invented by Dr. Gregory S. Herman, which was first used in the development of smartphones to give them more vivid displays. After Herman moved to OSU in 2009, he reportedly began looking at using this technology in biomedical applications, including a more efficient way for diabetic patients to continuously monitor their blood glucose levels.
According to Herman, more than 2,500 biosensors — each measuring a different bodily function — could be embedded in a 1-millimeter square patch of an IGZO contact lens. And the biosensors could transmit vital health information to smartphones and other WiFi or Bluetooth-enabled devices.
Researchers believe it could be a year or more before a prototype bio-sensing contact lens is ready for animal testing.
Click here to read the full press release.
Click here to watch the live-streamed press conference from the ACS meeting.
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Source: American Chemical Society