The first foreign insulin sensor technology for real-time detection of diabetic patients

[ Instrument Network Instrument Development ] According to foreign media reports, Geoff Chase, a special professor from the School of Engineering at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, is working on the world's first insulin sensor technology to achieve "instant" testing for patients with type 2 diabetes.

Professor Chase said that the development of insulin detection technology will help doctors and patients make treatment decisions more efficiently. Currently, patients can confirm blood glucose levels through routine finger blood glucose measurements and using blood glucose meters, but insulin testing can only be performed in the laboratory.

"Instant detection of insulin is difficult because it has no known chemical reaction for testing. Unlike glucose, insulin has no polarized charge, it does not apply voltage, and it does not produce magnetic fields, radio frequency or microwaves. The reaction,” Professor Chase said, therefore, to some extent, this has become an “invisible” property of insulin, making it easier to detect.

Researchers collaborate to develop chip labs that use microfluidic technology, custom bioreceptors, and novel microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology to model insulin in liquid samples. “A fixed volume of liquid will adhere to the microchip, and excess liquid will flow out, which will change the quality and thickness of the MEMS array components. Accordingly, we can 'see' to insulin by changing the dynamic properties of the MEMS device array by liquid. This is the hope of applying for a patent.” The instant acquisition of key measurements of human insulin levels is part of a series of research projects for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

At present, insulin testing requires the processing of blood samples through the laboratory, and it takes 1-3 days to obtain the test results. Such a test procedure is only beneficial for the initial diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and is not suitable for long-term treatment and care of such patients. The researchers explained, "When patients can't accurately know the level of insulin, they can only rely on guessing, but excessive injection of insulin poses a very high risk, which is why patients often give up treatment," Professor Chase said. Using this sensor allows patients to instantly detect insulin levels and inject insulin in moderation, reducing the risk of overdosing."

Korean scientists have developed skin tactile sensors

According to foreign media reports, researchers at the Sungkyunkwan University in Korea have recently developed artificial skin tactile sensors that can sense similar pressures and vibrations felt by human skin.

At the same time, the new sensor not only detects pressure and vibration, but also converts the surface roughness of the material into an electrical signal for more sensitive and accurate detection of physical stimuli. The sensor simulates a "slow-adaptive (SA)" receptor that detects pressure and a 'fast-adaptive (FA)' receptor that detects vibration and roughness.

The tactile sensor is in the form of a flexible film comprising an upper panel having a human fingerprint-like micropattern, an intermediate panel having a vibration sensor that mimics the FA receptor, and a lower panel having a pressure sensor that mimics the SA receptor. The research team used the principle of measuring the vibration of the triboelectric signal generated on the surface of the object to identify the roughness to mimic the FA receptor. As the developed sensors and upper panels mimic fingerprints, the team successfully classified the roughness of the 12 fabrics with a classification accuracy of over 99%.

Sensors open up the potential for artificial skin grafts for patients who require skin grafts, which will have a huge impact on the field. In addition, the new sensor will enable the user to have a real skin feel during the suit VR experience built with the touch sensor.