Key Takeaways
1. Garmin has patented a method for measuring blood glucose levels, focusing on HbA1c, which reflects long-term glucose control.
2. HbA1c is crucial for health insurance and monitoring diabetes progression, but it does not provide real-time glucose readings.
3. Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) systems can estimate HbA1c values using optical measurements of blood glucose levels.
4. The patent involves pressure compensation and pulse spectrometry, capturing a wide spectrum of interactions between matter and radiation.
5. The feasibility of this patent translating into a marketable product remains uncertain.
Several firms are actively engaged in developing wrist-worn devices for monitoring blood glucose. In an earlier article, we explored the context and obstacles of this kind of measurement. Recently, Garmin has unveiled a new patent (patent number 20250134464) that outlines a method for measuring blood glucose levels, or at least a value associated with blood glucose.
Understanding HbA1c
The patent specifically mentions HbA1c, commonly known as long-term blood glucose, which gives insights into blood glucose levels over weeks. In numerous countries, determining HbA1c is essential for health insurance, especially for individuals with type 1 diabetes, and it helps in tracking the condition’s development. Simply put, the HbA1c value reflects red blood cells that have undergone a specific, irreversible chemical reaction with glucose. It’s critical to note that while HbA1c cannot provide real-time blood glucose readings, it can be estimated using Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) systems that optically measure blood glucose levels.
Technical Aspects of the Patent
In essence, the patent discusses pressure compensation alongside a method known as pulse spectrometry. The term “spectrometry” means capturing a whole spectrum—the interaction between matter and radiation across a certain electromagnetic range—not just single wavelengths, as seen in heart rate or blood oxygen saturation measurements. The process of measuring the HbA1c value might be simpler due to its unique progression. However, to directly measure blood glucose levels, relatively advanced Near Infrared (NIR) sensors might be required. As always, it is uncertain if this patent will lead to an actual product in the market.
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