New Patch Uses Microneedles to test Glucose Levels

A recent EurekAlert! article noted a new development in medical patches. A team of scientists in Japan developed a paper sensor that employs microneedles to test for conditions such as pre-diabetes. The needles are less than 1mm long, which is short enough that they can’t reach neurons to cause pain. Instead of gathering blood, the patch extracts fluid from the skin that contains the necessary biomarkers. Next, the team will test the concept on human subjects, and develop other versions to monitor more substances and conditions. A video with more information can be seen here.