A new device based on research from Indiana University could one day supplement current methods to provide better protection against more serious swings in blood sugar. It might also help individuals at risk for type 2 diabetes better monitor their blood sugar to reduce their risk of the disease.
Isaac, by PreEvnt, is a small lightweight device that can be worn on a lanyard around the neck to provide easy and accurate information about users’ blood sugar using only their breath. The breathalyser technology was developed in collaboration with the Integrated Nanosystems Development Institute at IU Indianapolis, and was inspired by diabetes alert dogs – service animals trained to detect when their owners experience hypoglycemia.
“Our lab was able to successfully identify the specific molecules in breath that correlate with hypoglycemia, which is the ‘scent’ that diabetic alert dogs can detect,” said Mangilal Agarwal, a professor in the IU Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering at IU Indianapolis and director of the Integrated Nanosystems Development Institute. “In addition to identifying these molecules, our lab is testing nanoscale sensors to detect them, while also collaborating with partners to commercialise the technology.”
Developed by PreEvnt in collaboration with IU, the isaac device uses sensors from the Nanoz Group to detect chemicals in breath that correlate to blood glucose levels. The compounds it detects were identified at IU, and Agarwal’s research team is working to qualify the sensor devices in the laboratory.
Agarwal’s lab is partnering with the IU School of Medicine to test and validate the effectiveness of the device in individuals with diabetes — an important next step on the path to wider commercialisation.
A prototype of isaac by PreEvnt, a small lightweight device that can be worn on a lanyard to provide easy and accurate information about blood sugar levels from breath, developed based on research from the Integrated Nanosystems Development Institute at IU Indianapolis. Photo by Liz Kaye, Indiana University
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