Blood Monitoring Implant That Can Communicate With Your Smartphone

          A group of Swiss scientists at Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne have come up with the world's smallest implantable blood monitoring device.  The device is 14mm and is powered by a battery patch outside of the body which provides wireless inductive charging through the skin.  The device is transplanted in the interstitial tissue and can  monitor blood levels of indicators such as troponin, glucose, lactate, and ATP (so far it can monitor up to five at a time).   The data can then be sent to the user's smart phone via blue tooth.  This monitoring provides valuable data for physiologic monitoring during activity, in possible diseases conditions such as diabetes, or in the case of troponin, could be used to monitor for pre-heart attack conditions.  The device is in early stages but there is no theoretical limit to the number of sensors that could be utilized.  The device, along with powerful analysis software, could revolutionize the way monitoring is done in patients.

          I found this article interesting because it shows a giant leap in patient monitoring.  Having access to real-time data via a device we all already use, the smartphone,  has endless possibilities.  It could allow diabetics to measure their blood glucose without sticking themselves.  It could be used to alert patients that they are about to have a heart attack, possibly saving their life.  It could even be used to monitor proper medications levels such as in patients who take anticoagulants.  I can't wait to see how this technology progresses in the next few years.

LINK HERE