9 ms·

Google Patents Needle-Free Blood Draw

155 points by e15ctr0n 11y ago

cdnsteve 11y ago
This sounds evil...
- pki 11y ago
  I'd love to know why you think this way.
- BlakePetersen 11y ago
  You obviously couldn't bother to read three paragraphs in to see clearly how this is not.
  - Animats 11y ago
    Yes, it is shooting you with a tiny bullet and sucking up the blood splash that results. The patent calls it a "micro-particle", 10µm to 250µm caliber. It can be "dart-shaped" or spherical. Muzzle velocity may be supersonic. The suggested material is gold particles held together with biodegradable glue, which is a neutral material for humans. Or maybe just a water droplet. It seems they've tested this thing. On Google employees?
    - danieltillett 11y ago
      This is basically the same way you can get DNA into cells for gene transformation. These “bullets” better not have any DNA on them.
aczerepinski 11y ago
This is for more relevant search results, right?
- mirimir 11y ago
  This is rather a snide comment. But yet, how much more invasive is physiological monitoring than allowing video and audio monitoring of ones home? Or ones children, via dolls?
awgneo 11y ago
This company is as scatter brained as I am.
- HappyTypist 11y ago
  Android Wear smartwatch with automatic glucose monitoring.
  - BlakePetersen 11y ago
    I'd give anything for one of those... Those Dexcom CGM needles are scary long. =\
  - agumonkey 11y ago
    plus google now suggestions based on the results.
- adventured 11y ago
  It'd be like claiming Berkshire Hathaway is scatter-brained because they're in railroads, insurance, metal working, car dealerships, newspapers and candy. Alphabet is now a conglomerate by intentional design. Each unit is focused, in theory.
gliese1337 11y ago
Mewonders why Google is developing this. Sure, Google is pretty diverse, but medical technology still seems a bit out-of-scope. Questions of corporate motivation aside, however, this will never replace the majority of blood draws. The patent claims it is only intended for small samples, so if the lab needs more than this device can reliably extract in one go, they'll do it the old-fashioned way. Additionally, there's a high likelihood of hemolysis (rupturing of red blood cells, which releases haemoglobin and the rest of the contents of the cytoplasm into the blood plasma). The patent does not appear to address that issue (perhaps I just missed it, but I saw no references), but my wife (who is an ICU/ER nurse) tells me it is problem. That also severely restricts the range of tests for which blood drawn by this method would be suitable.
- minimaxir 11y ago
  Keep in mind that Google has an entire division for projects that are not necessarily tired to the core search business. A system for blood-free draw that works reliably would fit the moonshot descriptor quite easily.
  - justinator 11y ago
    Their core advertising business
    - jessedhillon 11y ago
      I'm actually curious about what you think your comment is adding.
  - raverbashing 11y ago
    Alphabet, not Google anymore, no?
  - BlakePetersen 11y ago
    They are also working on a glucose-tracking contact lens. Continuous glucose monitoring is one of the last components of the "Artificial Pancreas" that could be employed by type 1 diabetics like me. Using the Dexcom CGM system with an insulin pump, an rpi, and Nighthawk, some actually have an artificial pancreas (skirting the FDA's approval latency). I would imagine Google sees this as a huge opportunity to affect a HUGE community with a chronic condition and demonstrate their prowess in yet another industry.
jaggederest 11y ago
Looks like a lancet to me, I wonder how it changes the experience compared to a spring-loaded draw.
- digdigdag 11y ago
  Well, it's not. It's using pressure differentials to cause small capillaries to burst(?), causing minimal damage as possible. I can see why Google might be interested in doing this. They're already in the smart watch market, it's only a short leap into the world of medical devices if they invent a way to continuously monitor blood sugar levels (among other metrics) for the user.
- BlakePetersen 11y ago
  As a type-1 diabetic, to check my glucose, I have to use a spring-loaded device that pricks my finger with a needle which I then squeeze out to get a large enough sample, then pick up another device with a test strip attached where I collect the sample. Read the last paragraph (0003) of the Background and then look at that watch device. If I could flip my wrist over, push a button, hear a hiss and 5 seconds later I can tell where my levels are, my day to day life, for the rest of my life, is made that much easier.
  - jessaustin 11y ago
    That particular level of automation wouldn't be the end state for the technology. Why not a wristband you wear that just does all of that itself, when it decides to, and then either tells you to eat or communicates with some other device able to change your blood chemistry?
incepted 11y ago
They're probably patenting this to make sure nobody else does, and if Google's track record is any indication, they will probably make this available for free.
- kuschku 11y ago
  > Make this available for free to anyone who doesn’t sue Google, doesn’t object to patents, etc Fixed this for you. Legally, according to the patent license, I can’t use VP8 (Google) or react (Facebook) either, as I believe the patents, like all software patents, are invalid and should not have been granted.
  - magicalist 11y ago
    > Make this available for free to anyone who doesn’t sue Google, doesn’t object to patents, etc > Legally, according to the patent license, I can’t use VP8 (Google) OK, let's see: > If you or your agent or exclusive licensee institute or order or agree to the institution of patent litigation or any other patent enforcement activity against any entity (including a cross-claim or counterclaim in a lawsuit) alleging that any of these implementations of WebM or any code incorporated within any of these implementations of WebM constitutes direct or contributory patent infringement, or inducement of patent infringement, then any patent rights granted to you under this License for these implementations of WebM shall terminate as of the date such litigation is filed.[1] Seems upfront to me, and nothing to do with if you sue Google over matters unrelated to VP8, believe software patents are invalid, etc etc. It's just a modified Apache 2.0 patent license grant, so unless you object to all projects under that...? > If You institute patent litigation against any entity (including a cross-claim or counterclaim in a lawsuit) alleging that the Work or a Contribution incorporated within the Work constitutes direct or contributory patent infringement, then any patent licenses granted to You under this License for that Work shall terminate as of the date such litigation is filed.[2] [1] http://www.webmproject.org/license/additional/ http://www.webmproject.org/license/additional/ [2] http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0 http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
    - 11y ago
Turing_Machine 11y ago
So this thing is basically shooting you with a very tiny bullet? Interesting.
danso 11y ago
Related to the snarky comments about how this relates to Google's search/advertising business...that raises an interesting question: why isn't this filed under Alphabet Inc. rather than Google? I thought that was the purpose of having Alphabet, to be the umbrella over old-Google's old and new businesses? edit: I can answer my own question: this was published on December 3, 2015. But it was filed May 28, 2014, which was created in 2015.
- ryanmonroe 11y ago
  Check the file date (May 2014). This was filed before the existence of Alphabet.
joelberman 11y ago
Just glucose monitoring for diabetics would make this a valuable patent. The last try at noninvasive glucose monitoring did not work out very well.
coliveira 11y ago
This should be better classified now as Alphabet's technology. Google is just the software/advertisement side of the business.
vpribish 11y ago
It's more interesting than, but not as amusing as, a tiny hicky-machine.
natvod 11y ago
What impact would this have on the already embattled Theranos?
- saisi 11y ago
  I believe they occupy different, but slightly overlapping niches in the chain of causation. Theranos' claim to fame is a method of blood testing that requires drawing of significantly smaller amounts compared to traditional/ contemporary methods of blood testing. The claim is that Theranos' method can produce satisfactory blood test results with smaller vials of blood. Google's patent however is specifically on the means of drawing. Therefore, a medical care provider could reasonably combine Google+Theranos' methods, unless of course Theranos' method has a strictly incompatible means of drawing blood. Hopefully someone more versed can shed more light on this
tux1968 11y ago
The link no longer works.
- e15ctr0n 11y ago
  Try http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/srchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=20150342509.PGNR http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=.... or http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2015/0342509.html http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2015/0342509.html
clockworkelf 11y ago
I find it disturbing that none of you find this disturbing.
hugenerd 11y ago
This is a publication, not a patent. The title is incorrect.

155 points by e15ctr0n 11y ago

cdnsteve 11y ago

This sounds evil...

pki 11y ago
I'd love to know why you think this way.
BlakePetersen 11y ago
You obviously couldn't bother to read three paragraphs in to see clearly how this is not.
- Animats 11y ago
  Yes, it is shooting you with a tiny bullet and sucking up the blood splash that results. The patent calls it a "micro-particle", 10µm to 250µm caliber. It can be "dart-shaped" or spherical. Muzzle velocity may be supersonic. The suggested material is gold particles held together with biodegradable glue, which is a neutral material for humans. Or maybe just a water droplet. It seems they've tested this thing. On Google employees?
  - danieltillett 11y ago
    This is basically the same way you can get DNA into cells for gene transformation. These “bullets” better not have any DNA on them.

aczerepinski 11y ago

This is for more relevant search results, right?

mirimir 11y ago
This is rather a snide comment. But yet, how much more invasive is physiological monitoring than allowing video and audio monitoring of ones home? Or ones children, via dolls?

awgneo 11y ago

This company is as scatter brained as I am.

HappyTypist 11y ago
Android Wear smartwatch with automatic glucose monitoring.
- BlakePetersen 11y ago
  I'd give anything for one of those... Those Dexcom CGM needles are scary long. =\
- agumonkey 11y ago
  plus google now suggestions based on the results.
adventured 11y ago
It'd be like claiming Berkshire Hathaway is scatter-brained because they're in railroads, insurance, metal working, car dealerships, newspapers and candy. Alphabet is now a conglomerate by intentional design. Each unit is focused, in theory.

gliese1337 11y ago

Mewonders why Google is developing this. Sure, Google is pretty diverse, but medical technology still seems a bit out-of-scope. Questions of corporate motivation aside, however, this will never replace the majority of blood draws. The patent claims it is only intended for small samples, so if the lab needs more than this device can reliably extract in one go, they'll do it the old-fashioned way. Additionally, there's a high likelihood of hemolysis (rupturing of red blood cells, which releases haemoglobin and the rest of the contents of the cytoplasm into the blood plasma). The patent does not appear to address that issue (perhaps I just missed it, but I saw no references), but my wife (who is an ICU/ER nurse) tells me it is problem. That also severely restricts the range of tests for which blood drawn by this method would be suitable.

minimaxir 11y ago
Keep in mind that Google has an entire division for projects that are not necessarily tired to the core search business. A system for blood-free draw that works reliably would fit the moonshot descriptor quite easily.
- justinator 11y ago
  Their core advertising business
  - jessedhillon 11y ago
    I'm actually curious about what you think your comment is adding.
- raverbashing 11y ago
  Alphabet, not Google anymore, no?
- BlakePetersen 11y ago
  They are also working on a glucose-tracking contact lens. Continuous glucose monitoring is one of the last components of the "Artificial Pancreas" that could be employed by type 1 diabetics like me. Using the Dexcom CGM system with an insulin pump, an rpi, and Nighthawk, some actually have an artificial pancreas (skirting the FDA's approval latency). I would imagine Google sees this as a huge opportunity to affect a HUGE community with a chronic condition and demonstrate their prowess in yet another industry.

jaggederest 11y ago

Looks like a lancet to me, I wonder how it changes the experience compared to a spring-loaded draw.

digdigdag 11y ago
Well, it's not. It's using pressure differentials to cause small capillaries to burst(?), causing minimal damage as possible. I can see why Google might be interested in doing this. They're already in the smart watch market, it's only a short leap into the world of medical devices if they invent a way to continuously monitor blood sugar levels (among other metrics) for the user.
BlakePetersen 11y ago
As a type-1 diabetic, to check my glucose, I have to use a spring-loaded device that pricks my finger with a needle which I then squeeze out to get a large enough sample, then pick up another device with a test strip attached where I collect the sample. Read the last paragraph (0003) of the Background and then look at that watch device. If I could flip my wrist over, push a button, hear a hiss and 5 seconds later I can tell where my levels are, my day to day life, for the rest of my life, is made that much easier.
- jessaustin 11y ago
  That particular level of automation wouldn't be the end state for the technology. Why not a wristband you wear that just does all of that itself, when it decides to, and then either tells you to eat or communicates with some other device able to change your blood chemistry?

incepted 11y ago

They're probably patenting this to make sure nobody else does, and if Google's track record is any indication, they will probably make this available for free.

kuschku 11y ago
> Make this available for free to anyone who doesn’t sue Google, doesn’t object to patents, etc Fixed this for you. Legally, according to the patent license, I can’t use VP8 (Google) or react (Facebook) either, as I believe the patents, like all software patents, are invalid and should not have been granted.
- magicalist 11y ago
  > Make this available for free to anyone who doesn’t sue Google, doesn’t object to patents, etc > Legally, according to the patent license, I can’t use VP8 (Google) OK, let's see: > If you or your agent or exclusive licensee institute or order or agree to the institution of patent litigation or any other patent enforcement activity against any entity (including a cross-claim or counterclaim in a lawsuit) alleging that any of these implementations of WebM or any code incorporated within any of these implementations of WebM constitutes direct or contributory patent infringement, or inducement of patent infringement, then any patent rights granted to you under this License for these implementations of WebM shall terminate as of the date such litigation is filed.[1] Seems upfront to me, and nothing to do with if you sue Google over matters unrelated to VP8, believe software patents are invalid, etc etc. It's just a modified Apache 2.0 patent license grant, so unless you object to all projects under that...? > If You institute patent litigation against any entity (including a cross-claim or counterclaim in a lawsuit) alleging that the Work or a Contribution incorporated within the Work constitutes direct or contributory patent infringement, then any patent licenses granted to You under this License for that Work shall terminate as of the date such litigation is filed.[2] [1] http://www.webmproject.org/license/additional/ http://www.webmproject.org/license/additional/ [2] http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0 http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
  - 11y ago

Turing_Machine 11y ago

So this thing is basically shooting you with a very tiny bullet? Interesting.

danso 11y ago

Related to the snarky comments about how this relates to Google's search/advertising business...that raises an interesting question: why isn't this filed under Alphabet Inc. rather than Google? I thought that was the purpose of having Alphabet, to be the umbrella over old-Google's old and new businesses? edit: I can answer my own question: this was published on December 3, 2015. But it was filed May 28, 2014, which was created in 2015.

ryanmonroe 11y ago
Check the file date (May 2014). This was filed before the existence of Alphabet.

joelberman 11y ago

Just glucose monitoring for diabetics would make this a valuable patent. The last try at noninvasive glucose monitoring did not work out very well.

coliveira 11y ago

This should be better classified now as Alphabet's technology. Google is just the software/advertisement side of the business.

vpribish 11y ago

It's more interesting than, but not as amusing as, a tiny hicky-machine.

natvod 11y ago

What impact would this have on the already embattled Theranos?

saisi 11y ago
I believe they occupy different, but slightly overlapping niches in the chain of causation. Theranos' claim to fame is a method of blood testing that requires drawing of significantly smaller amounts compared to traditional/ contemporary methods of blood testing. The claim is that Theranos' method can produce satisfactory blood test results with smaller vials of blood. Google's patent however is specifically on the means of drawing. Therefore, a medical care provider could reasonably combine Google+Theranos' methods, unless of course Theranos' method has a strictly incompatible means of drawing blood. Hopefully someone more versed can shed more light on this

tux1968 11y ago

The link no longer works.

e15ctr0n 11y ago
Try http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/srchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=20150342509.PGNR http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=.... or http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2015/0342509.html http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2015/0342509.html

clockworkelf 11y ago

I find it disturbing that none of you find this disturbing.

hugenerd 11y ago

This is a publication, not a patent. The title is incorrect.