Google has unveiled a prototype of a "smart" contact lens that can monitor a diabetic's glucose levels, potentially making diabetes self-management easier for the one in 19 people on the planet who suffer from the disease.
The contact lens works by monitoring the glucose levels in tears. A tiny wireless chip between two layers of soft contact lens material is able to measure the wearer's glucose levels as frequently as once per second, allowing for around-the-clock monitoring.
Google is looking to partner with app developers and other technology companies to make the information from the lens available on the wearer's mobile device or at a physicians' office. Google is in discussions with the Food and Drug Administration about approval, but emphasize there is still more work to be done on the technology.
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