Traditionally, to test their blood glucose level, a patient must prick their finger with a lancet, tap a small drop of blood onto a test strip, and insert the strip into a blood glucose meter.
Constant finger pricking can be irritating and painful. On the other hand, newer implantable monitors — which can be inserted under the skin and do not require finger pricking — are hindered by their bulky batteries.
Bioengineers at King Abdullah Univ. of Science and Technology (KAUST) have created an electronic biosensor that can monitor glucose using only a patient’s saliva. Additionally, their biosensor does not require bulky external batteries because it is completely powered by glucose.
The sensor itself is a miniature organic electrochemical transistor (OECT). These devices usually consist of a semiconductor film channel and an electrode. Ions or electrons enter the channel and interact with the transistor to amplify flow of electrons throughout the entire device...
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