Diabetes-focused pharmaceutical company Novartis is teaming up with Google to manufacture contact lenses that will be able to monitor the glucose levels of diabetic patients. Google already has a prototype of the lenses, which are embedded with microchips and wireless sensors that can track glucose levels in a person’s tears. They’re still working on embedding tiny LED lights so when a patient’s glucose levels goes too high or too low, a light would switch on to indicate the change. That’ll be the end of all that pricking and testing for America’s 29 million diabetics.
The pharma/tech partnership might find the perfect spokesperson for their new lenses at the Miss America Pageant in September. Sierra Sandison, Miss Idaho, will be proudly wearing her insulin pump during the famous bikini competition (as she did during the Miss Idaho competition). Sandison recently told NPR: “In the diabetes community, we use the visibility of our devices as a badge of courage and a connector. There is a pride in successfully managing the condition and surviving.”
Smart contact lens, image: Google
