Google Lifesciences filed a patent for a needle free blood draw device at US Patent and Trademark Office. This device seems like designed for people who are frequently needed to test their blood.
Patent says, "A system for needle-free drawing of blood is disclosed. A device can include an evacuated negative-pressure barrel with a membrane sealing an aperture at a distal end, and a housing affixed to a proximal end. An accelerator barrel can be positioned within the negative-pressure barrel and fixed to the housing, with an open proximal end in a chamber in the housing, and an open distal end aligned with the aperture. The chamber can be filled with pressurized gas, and a trigger valve can hydrostatically separate the chamber from the open proximal end of the accelerator barrel. A micro-particle positioned within the accelerator barrel can be accelerated to high speed by an abrupt surge of gas by releasing the trigger valve. The micro-particle can attain enough momentum to pierce the aperture membrane and penetrate adjacent dermal tissue. A resulting micro-emergence of blood can be drawn into the negative pressure barrel."
Google has filed yet another patent to help diabetes patients measure their glucose levels, calling it "Needle-Free Blood Draw." The name is pretty straightforward, suggesting the device will be able to draw blood quickly and painlessly without a needle. (Photo : USPTO)
Google is already in colloboration with Novartis, working on smart lenses that will analyze tear to sense blood glocose level. On one step ahead, Google is also developing cloud-connected sensor which can monitor blood sugar.
In 2014 the global prevalence of diabetes was estimated to be 9% among adults aged 18+ years. And if google will bring this devise in market, it will help no. of people suffering from diabetes and it may helpful for estimation of other blood components or enzyme, in future.
