It is reported that both Apple and Samsung are developing technology that can conduct non-invasive blood glucose detection through smart watches, which will benefit more than 200 million insulin-dependent diabetic patients around the world. Currently, such patients require a finger-prick blood test before each meal to determine the required dose of insulin, which is painful and expensive.
Existing blood glucose monitoring methods require patients to prick their fingertips with a small needle called a lancet and then drop the blood onto a test strip inserted into a blood glucose meter, which calculates the blood glucose level. If too much insulin is injected, the patient may suffer from hypoglycemia, which may manifest as confusion or even coma.
On the other hand, eating too much food without getting enough insulin can severely damage your organs over time, leading to complications such as blindness, kidney disease, hearing loss, nerve damage, and more. Therefore, for insulin-dependent diabetics, it is crucial to accurately control the insulin dose before each meal.
While the technology to implement non-invasive blood glucose monitoring on an Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch is still years away, related research and development is making progress. It is believed that in the near future, insulin-dependent diabetic patients will be able to continuously monitor blood sugar levels through sensors on their watches, greatly reducing their burden.
Another highly anticipated feature may appear in Apple’s upcoming Apple Watch Series 10 (or X). Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman mentioned in the latest issue of his Power On newsletter that “all indications are that the new Apple Watch will add blood pressure monitoring capabilities this fall.” Gurman pointed out that this feature cannot be added to older watches through software updates. , which implies that the new generation of Apple Watch will add new sensors to achieve this function.
In December last year, Gurman revealed that Apple’s planned first-generation blood pressure monitoring feature will be able to alert users when their blood pressure is too high and recommend that users make an appointment with a doctor. In the future, with sensor upgrades, Apple Watch will be able to provide users with more accurate blood pressure readings, rather than just simple reminders.
There are already some smart watches on the market that claim to be able to monitor blood pressure, but such watches usually add an inflatable cuff to the watch strap, which requires the wearer to fit the cuff perfectly on the wrist to obtain readings. For example, Huawei Watch D measures blood pressure through an inflatable cuff and can provide medical-grade blood pressure readings according to Chinese standards.
If Gurman’s news is accurate, it will be interesting to see how Apple incorporates inflatable cuffs into the design of the Apple Watch. The new Apple Watch Series 10 (or X) is expected to be released in September.
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