IIT Jodhpur develops smartphone-based glucose tests using paper device

NEW DELHI: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur researchers have developed a system that utilises smartphones to test glucose levels of patients. The institute said that the system combines a paper-based analytical device (PAD) with a smartphone app, eliminating the need for separate readers. The research is published in ACS publications.

As per the official press release, the device is designed to be cost-effective and biodegradable with a current laboratory cost of approximately Rs 10. The team aims to reduce this further to Rs 5 during mass production. The device features a functionalised biodegradable paper that changes colour based on the level and quantity of glucose detected.

The system links a paper-based analytical device to any smartphone through an android app, enabling sample detection for glucose within a concentration range of 10-40 mM, the press release read.

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One of the authors of the study, Ankur Gupta, associate professor at IIT Jodhpur, explains: “Smartphones offer seamless integration with other technologies and platforms. The ability to connect the smartphone-based spot detection framework to a larger network or database can facilitate remote monitoring, data storage, and sharing of results. This connectivity can be crucial for healthcare professionals or researchers.”

The institute said that this system has the potential to be used for screening other diseases as well. By providing sample data for training and testing, the machine learning app can be adapted to detect other diseases as well. The researchers are currently working on a system that can detect glucose, uric acid, and lactate simultaneously.