In the begin of 2014 I stumbled on a research paper: Khan, “Non-Invasive blood glucose monitoring using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy” Medical Design Center, EDN Network, 2013 and I was directly interested. My wife has diabetes type 1 and has problems with hypo’s during the night. When this would work, it would be awesome.
Since the first time I looked at this problem, I have stumbled on another technique. A DVD can be used as a diffractive grating. Normally the grating results in a straight line per wavelength, but a DVD results in an arched line per waveline. This can be corrected in software. A spectrophotometer could do the trick in determining the exact components of the transmitted light through the skin. Would the DVD also be diffractive enough within the Near-Infrared spectrum? Lets find out.
First goal, get it to work reliable enough.
Investigate the information in the article. There is loads of questions of people asking for more information ( 🙂 I am not alone). Masab Ahmad has answered a lot of them. In his answers I read that he cannot fully disclose all information.
Second goal, miniaturize it.
As part of the I2C BodyNode this will be one of them. The sensor itselves should only have a custom printed earpiece, the LEDs, the sensor, an ADC and some decoupling. The rest should be done at a different location on the body. There the power is coming from and also the communication hub should be at the secondary location.
I have contacted the co-author of the original project and am waiting for permission. Maybe I need to change the license for this specific page (I rather not if not necessarry) but I am willing to make an exception here.