Does the thought of getting stuck with a needle terrify you? Just thinking about needles at all turns most people’s stomachs upside down. Needles piercing through human skin may soon come to an end with a new patent that Google has filed. The “needle-free blood draw” system is a new patent that Google has filed that makes drawing blood a painless process. The device can be used on a person’s wrist or as a simple handheld device that can easily draw blood from a fingertip.
The newly innovative patent is designed to draw blood without shoving a metal needle deep into your skin. The way this “blood-free” system works is by sending gas into a barrel that contains micro-particles that pierce the skin. This simple process sounds more comforting than that big needle we discussed earlier. After the microparticles complete the piercing process, the blood is then released into a negative pressure barrel. Google explains that this application can be used to draw a small amount of blood, and that it would be perfect for people with diabetes who have to check their blood sugar every day. With that being said, we could see this device take the place or even be adopted by Accu-Chek and One Touch Ultra meters.
Now this isn’t the first time we have heard of Google creating products for diabetics. It has been reported earlier this year that Google is building a “smart” contact lens that can measure glucose levels, and in addition, a bandaged sized meter. These products can substantially boost business for Google if they take this serious step in helping diabetics. There are 29 million people alone in the United States that have diabetes. It’s worth noting that just because the patent has been filed and is awaiting approval does not mean we’ll actually see it come to life, but when we look at the big picture and those 29 Million American that live with diabetes, these devices could actually appear as they could become a serious benefit. Below we have some of the patent photos which gives us an idea of what to expect. The first design simply looks like a barrel that is placed on the fingertip like you’re conventional meters. The second design shows us what looks like a smartwatch but instead of telling you the time it’s giving you a glucose reading.
