5 ms·

Magnetometers are noninvasive! They don't penetrate the skin

adrian_b 3y ago
That's not how it is used here. The sample liquid containing glucose, e.g. wine or possibly blood (the sample might need to be diluted first with pure water) is put on a gel that has volume changes depending on the amount of glucose. The volume changes are detected magnetically because the gel is coated with a ferromagnetic material. If this were used for blood glucose, the blood would have to be extracted first by traditional means. This does not seem to be the intended use, because the already existing invasive devices are more convenient. The intended use appears to be for testing food using a device that contains the gel and to which you attach the smartphone in order to read the results.
- ijustlovemath 3y ago
  Yes, I understand how they conducted the experiment! Because this would not be place under the skin, it still constitutes a noninvasive sensing technique
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
  - refulgentis 3y ago
    Distinction without a difference, your lead comment is a list of common issues for something that is orthogonal to the article. I appreciate it regardless but some humility is in order :) not being strictly on topic is fine, it's still interesting. But I don't think arguing they're the same thing repeatedly down thread is kind.
  - adrian_b 3y ago
    If this were used for blood, it would be invasive, because the blood must be extracted with needles, exactly like in the current kits for measuring blood glucose. The gel holder would substitute the sensitive strips that are used in such glucose measurement kits and the smartphone would replace the electronic reader that displays the results. Nothing would change about the invasiveness of having to pierce the skin with needles, to extract blood. There exist experimental devices for non-invasive measurement of the blood glucose, whose purpose is to avoid the use of piercing needles, but this new glucose sensor has nothing to do with those. This new glucose sensor is for other uses and its advantage is that it no longer needs a special expensive electronic device for reading the sensor output, but a standard smartphone is good enough.

That's not how it is used here. The sample liquid containing glucose, e.g. wine or possibly blood (the sample might need to be diluted first with pure water) is put on a gel that has volume changes depending on the amount of glucose. The volume changes are detected magnetically because the gel is coated with a ferromagnetic material. If this were used for blood glucose, the blood would have to be extracted first by traditional means. This does not seem to be the intended use, because the already existing invasive devices are more convenient. The intended use appears to be for testing food using a device that contains the gel and to which you attach the smartphone in order to read the results.

ijustlovemath 3y ago
Yes, I understand how they conducted the experiment! Because this would not be place under the skin, it still constitutes a noninvasive sensing technique
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- refulgentis 3y ago
  Distinction without a difference, your lead comment is a list of common issues for something that is orthogonal to the article. I appreciate it regardless but some humility is in order :) not being strictly on topic is fine, it's still interesting. But I don't think arguing they're the same thing repeatedly down thread is kind.
- adrian_b 3y ago
  If this were used for blood, it would be invasive, because the blood must be extracted with needles, exactly like in the current kits for measuring blood glucose. The gel holder would substitute the sensitive strips that are used in such glucose measurement kits and the smartphone would replace the electronic reader that displays the results. Nothing would change about the invasiveness of having to pierce the skin with needles, to extract blood. There exist experimental devices for non-invasive measurement of the blood glucose, whose purpose is to avoid the use of piercing needles, but this new glucose sensor has nothing to do with those. This new glucose sensor is for other uses and its advantage is that it no longer needs a special expensive electronic device for reading the sensor output, but a standard smartphone is good enough.