Graphene Smart Patch for Monitoring Diabetes Could Save Lives

March 23, 2016

(New Scientist) – MORE than 300 million people around the world have type 2 diabetes. For many of them, an insulin kit is an indispensable daily accessory. Being caught without it or forgetting to use it after meals could be fatal. Could slapping on a smart patch bring peace of mind? A team in South Korea thinks so. It is developing a wearable device to keep diabetes under control. The patch, shown below, is made from graphene and senses glucose in sweat. It is connected by wires to a portable electrochemical analyser. When blood sugar is too high, it releases the drug metformin through microneedles to lower it.