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Novartis signs up for Google smart lens

Nature Biotechnology volume 32, page 856 (2014)Cite this article

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The smart lens technology developed at Google[x], a team within Google of Mountain View, California, comprises a lens made of conventional lens hydrogel material with a tiny wireless chip, a miniaturized glucose sensor and a tiny battery embedded between two layers in the periphery of the lens, avoiding the iris and pupil. A pin-hole in the lens allows tear fluid to seep into the sensor, generating blood glucose readings that can be transmitted to a smartphone device and, potentially, directly to a physician.

But the extent to which glucose in blood and tear fluid are correlated remains unclear. Also, the lag between glucose highs in circulation peaks and in tears, or factors such as eye irritation, could be problematic, warns Tony Cass, professor of chemical biology at Imperial College London, who helped develop the first electronic finger-stick glucose sensor 30 years ago. Alcon's George emphasized that the technology is at the “very early stages” of development. Still, the hope is that once-a-second readings will allow an accurate measure of systemic blood glucose and thus better glucose control. Even frequent (5–6 times a day) finger pricking—as well as being inconvenient—can miss blood sugar highs and lows, according to Cass. Google has tested prototypes integrating a tiny LED light to warn users when their blood glucose is too high or too low—providing a whole new level of meaning to 'seeing stars'.

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    Melanie Senior

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  1. Melanie Senior
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Senior, M. Novartis signs up for Google smart lens. Nat Biotechnol 32, 856 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0914-856

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