Adhesive 'patch' monitors blood glucose without needles

Researchers from Cardiff University's School of Engineering have developed a glucose monitor that doesn't require you to prick your finger. It doesn't even need blood after the initial calibration, because it uses microwave to keep track of your glucose levels. The device then sends the data it gathers to an accompanying app. Professor Adrian Porch, one of its creators, told the BBC that its microwave levels are very low and nowhere near what's used for cooking. "Think about a mobile phone," he said, "we're about a thousand times less than that level."

The device sticks to your skin with an adhesive and has a longer shelf life, since it doesn't use chemicals. For diabetics who hate having to draw blood frequently -- type 1 diabetics have to prick their fingers up to six times a day, for instance -- this non-invasive monitor could be a godsend. However, it'll take at least five more years of testing before it becomes widely available. Thus far, it's been tested on at least 50 patients at the Swansea University College of Medicine, with more tests to follow this summer.