Simulating multisensor noninvasive blood glucose monitoring systems

Abstract

Diabetes and related complications are responsible for early death - one person in every 7 seconds. Long term and short term complications due to diabetes can be reduced through proper diet, physical exercise, and medication. In order to assess the pattern of glucose changes of diabetic patients (for determining the appropriate drugs), concentration of glucose in blood needs to be monitored. The pain and inconvenience (due to pricking fingers) in the current invasive blood glucose monitoring technique has led to the emergence of noninvasive blood glucose monitoring (NIBGM) techniques. In this paper, we propose a multisensor NIBGM system using infrared (IR) sensor and ultrasonic micro-electro-micro mechanical (MEMS) technology. We simulate the proposed NIBGM system using COMSOL Multiphysics software and calibrate the system using Matlab code. Lead free piezoelectric materials are evaluated for ultrasonic sensors. Behavior of ultrasonic MEMS is simulated by varying the concentration of blood glucose. The simulation results are cross validated with actual glucose concentration to assess errors. According to simulation results and Clarke error grid analysis (EGA), the proposed NIBGM system has potential to enhance accuracy. By adding easiness and comfort (due to no pricking), the proposed multisensor NIBGM device should provide better assistance to monitor and manage diabetes.