Having succeeded in making computers faster, smaller, and cheaper, technologists are now focused on making computing more accessible—more effortlessly integrated into the user’s life—enabling more people to do more interesting things. Over the last few years, Microsoft has been working on creating natural user interfaces (NUIs) that make interacting with computers seamless, so that people can focus on completing their everyday tasks, building better relationships, and living better lives, even—or especially—when they’re on the go.
Researchers from the University of Washington (UW) and Microsoft Research Connections are working together to develop a non-invasive, technological solution that promises to improve both the health and overall quality of life for people who have diabetes: a contact lens that monitors blood glucose levels. This innovative solution represents a trend in technology called the natural user interface (NUI). NUI technology can benefit the user without being obvious or intrusive. This has tremendous potential in the healthcare industry, where technology is a necessary, but not always pleasant, part of a patient’s diagnosis and care.Sufferers of Type 1 diabetes have to monitor their blood sugar levels several times a day. It's a painful procedure requiring the piercing of the skin with a spring-loaded needle. With what Microsoft cites as an example of a Natural User Interface (NUI), it hopes its "Functional Contact Lens" may one day remove the need for this invasive means of monitoring.Though the Functional Contact Lens aspires to a more advanced means of reporting than mere common change, the means of detection also differs from previous research. There are now various groups working on non-invasive measurement of tear glucose.The contact lens NUI would replace the blood tests and provide real-time feedback regarding fluctuations in glucose and insulin levels to the wearer, allowing the user to react quickly—for example, by increasing insulin intake or eating a piece of candy to raise their blood sugar level. If such fluctuations are not detected by a blood draw, the person may experience physical symptoms including blurry vision, nausea, emotional instability, and loss of consciousness.
This research uses an enzyme-based electrochemical process sensitive to glucose. As the enzyme interacts with the tear fluid, specific measurements are made by observing the change in current measured by bio-compatible electrodes on the contact lens.This will be achieved with tiny, flexible electronics embedded into the lens itself incorporating control circuits, communication circuits, the glucose sensors themselves, and the antenna. This required a whole new engineering process, since traditional integrated circuit processes would not work.Bio-compatibility is clearly an issue when an (admittedly low-powered) electronic device comes into direct contact with the human eye - both in terms of safety and comfort.
Microsoft hopes to get this technology to market as soon as everything is ready, and, if successful, it's likely that the first models will report information wirelessly to a local device, which could be an augmented smart phone .The team at Microsoft Research and the University of Washington has only begun to scratch the surface of the opportunities that exist with this type of platform."The most important challenge is really in the deep exploration of all the things not yet imagined with this platform, and new platforms enabled by this new-found capability to create other technology of this form."
[via:Gizmag]
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