Glucose Level Monitoring at Millimeter - Waves
Clément Csech, a Biomedical Engineering student at the University of Compiègne, France, is working in Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology Members, Dr. George Shaker, and Dr. Safieddin Safavi-Naeini’s CIARS (Centre for Intelligent Antenna and Radio Systems) lab to evaluate glucose level monitoring as part of the student exchange program between Sorbonne Universities and the University of Waterloo.
Dr. George Shaker is in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He is also with the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering. He oversees wireless RF/mm-wave biomedical activities at the UW-Schlegel Research Institute for Aging. Dr. Safavi-Naeini is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He also holds a NSERC/RIM Industrial Research Chair in Intelligent Integrated Radio/Antenna Systems and Novel Electromagnetic Media Technologies. Millimeter wave frequencies, often applied to high-definition video streaming, wireless telecommunications, satellite communications, imaging, and sensing, are a known research interest of Professor Safavi-Naeini’s. In the lab, Clément uses a millimeter wave radar that measures glucose levels in sample solutions at varying concentrations. Clément states that the objective of the lab is to be able to produce better test-retest reliability of the glucose measurements using millimeter wave radars. MWR is a newer technology being evaluated and improved in the lab that would increase reliability and allow for more accurate measurements of glucose concentrations.
With regard to future applications of glucose monitoring at this level, the group research could be implemented in the design of innovative glucose sensors. Clement comments that sensors measuring glucose at this level are a new and innovative method that would allow for continuous, non-invasive monitoring, a deviation from the traditional fingerstick test currently being used by diabetics.
The FDA only recently approved the first continuous glucose monitoring system that doesn’t require the fingerstick process as of September 2017. Typically missed by traditional methods, continuous glucose monitoring could allow for frequent real-time glucose measurements and rate of change information, which could alert the user of possible hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic events(1). This could potentially grant diabetics more control over the condition, prolonging life expectancy(2). Additionally, this information could be especially helpful to care providers when making treatment recommendations.
During his research visit at University of Waterloo, Clement co-authored a number of publications as part of his work on improving the state of the art in sensing (3).
References:
Bruen D, Delaney C, Florea L, Diamond D. Glucose Sensing for Diabetes Monitoring: Recent Developments. Sensors. 2017 Aug 12;17(8):1866.
Buckingham B. Clinical overview of continuous glucose monitoring. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2008;2(2):300-6
- *BEST PAPER AWARD at MHCI* Shaker, George and Smith, Karly and Omer, Ala Eldin and Liu, Shuo and Csech, Clement and Wadhwa, Udeshaya and Safavi-Naeini, Safieddin and Hughson, Richard, Non-invasive monitoring of glucose level changes utilizing a mm-wave radar system, International Journal of Mobile Human Computer Interaction (IJMHCI), 10(3), 2018, 10 – 29
- D. Lee, K. Smith, C. Csech and G. Shaker, "Glucose Concentration Estimation using Electromagnetic Waves," 2018 18th International Symposium on Antenna Technology and Applied Electromagnetics (ANTEM), Waterloo, ON, 2018, pp. 1-4.
- K. A. Smith, C. Csech, D. Murdoch and G. Shaker, "Gesture Recognition Using mm-Wave Sensor for Human-Car Interface," in IEEE Sensors Letters, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 1-4, June 2018, Art no. 3500904.