This mission, which has been kept under wraps for more than a decade, involves measuring a diabetic’s sugar levels without the need to draw blood — one of the more painful aspects of a patient’s ongoing disease-management regimen.
Apple has developed a non-invasive way to test blood glucose levels employing a specialized silicon photonics chip for use in a process known as optical absorption spectroscopy… The process uses a laser to shine a light, in a specific wavelength, into the skin. By measuring how much light is reflected back, the system can measure the amount of glucose — or blood sugar — present.
Apple has achieved major milestones recently, according to the report, and has reached the proof-of-concept stage, showing that the technology is feasible…
This could be big business for Apple. It’s estimated that more than 10% of the U.S. population, or roughly 34 million people, have diabetes. Worldwide, about 537 million people suffer from the disease, but that number is expected to jump to 643 million by 2030 and 783 million by 2045.
