From: Emlyn O'regan (oregan.emlyn@healthsolve.com.au)
Date: Sun Sep 22 2002 - 17:49:42 MDT
(from the Harrow Technology Report, Sept 23 2002)
NBIC, or the convergence of Nanotechnology, Biology, Information
sciences, and Cognitive sciences, is going to be producing an incredible
array of products and services that I suspect will go far beyond where
even science fiction writers have yet to tread. Take, for example,
these preliminary indications of an innovative, "stickless" way for
diabetics to keep track of their glucose levels, as reported in the
Sept. 1 BBC News and brought to our attention by reader Kenneth LaCrosse
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2225404.stm):
High Tech Tattoos.
The system starts with a very high-tech tattoo. But instead of ink that
is absorbed by cells, this tattoo uses polyethylene-glycol beads, which
are coated with fluorescent molecules, which happen to be just a bit
larger than ink molecules. Which is quite important, because this
allows the tattoo to remain in the interstitial fluid between cells,
where glucose levels closely mirror the glucose levels in the blood.
(Why not let the molecules enter the cells like traditional tattoo ink?
Because the glucose within cells is rapidly converted to energy and so
would show consistently low levels.)
Because the tattoo's molecules fluoresce more brightly as the glucose
levels fall, a watch or other sensor over the tattoo can track and
record glucose levels, and alarm the wearer when necessary. I can also
imagine that this technique might be very useful for future embedded
dispensing devices that might do away with constant insulin injections.
Of course this tattoo is still in the laboratories, but it seems to be
working on rats, which is a good initial indication. And it is most
certainly, "out of the box!"
-------
Emlyn
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