Your Tattoo is Saying Something

[Occulus]

Your Tattoo Is Saying Something

Dennis Loney

Diabetes sucks. Literally. It sucks the blood right out of you. The 17 million Americans with diabetes have to keep tabs on glucose levels by pricking their finger, extracting a drop of blood, and using a fairly intrusive and expensive glucose meter to read the results.

But several scientists are working to eliminate this cumbersome, painful, and scarring process by developing noninvasive glucose monitoring methods, including an implantable infrared watch, a fluorescent "smart" tattoo, and color-changing contact lenses. These cutting-edge technologies would not only be painless for the diabetic, but because blood glucose levels can change radically, a continuous monitor could sound the warning bell of impending hypo- and hyperglycemia. The researchers presented their findings at the American Chemical Society's fall national meeting in Boston.

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I typed several comments and then deleted them. I honestly don't know what to think... I mean, it seems like a great idea- paramedics and other medical personnel, I'm sure, would love to be able to just see if a person's glucose levels were whacked without having to do a test in an emergency situation. However, I can't help but think that this could end up being abused in some way.

What other uses for things such as what are mentioned here can you think of?

[Zookeeper]

1. My daughter has type 1.

All of the ideas you mentioned sound interesting and certainly better than having to poke a finger and draw blood 4, 5, or 6 times a day. However, what she needs (besides a cure) at this point is a device that would constantly monitor her blood glucose and automatically send the information to her insulin pump.

[Hekate]

2. Drug monitor for your security clearance?

:shrug:

Hekate

[undergroundpanther]

3. I don't have diabetes

But I am already tattooed..alot..hmmm Supposing I had diabetes,how could they recognize the glucose sensing tattoo from my regular colorful tats? I guess they didn't think of that one?

I dunno what to think of this. It reminds me of the "digital angel " crap,inching people closer to being monitored from the inside out,ever less private we become ,led into more monitoring by who knows who with the lure of convienence...

[az chela]

4. I have been diabetic for 13 years and check my blood every day.

It doesnt hurt.It usually is such a light pick I cant even feel it.

[TechBear_Seattle]

5. Try being diabetic and having to type for a living

Type 2 for 6 1/2 years. Even though I test from the sides of my fingers, having to bang on a keyboard all day (I'm a programmer) is not fun. It's not bad, but it is noticeable and annoying.

[Celebration]

6. Can you test the arm?

A boy I know in kindergarten was drawing blood from his forearm to test. His dad was the chemistry teacher there so I assume he knew what he was doing.

[TechBear_Seattle]

7. You can test from anywhere, but...

The sides of the fingers are ideal, as the skin is thinner and easier to puncture, and there are a lot more capillaries which means it is easier to get the blood. You can use hot water on the hands to soften the skin and speed up circulation, making it even easier, and it is pretty easy to wash up afterwards (bacterial infections are common among diabetics, so hygiene around wounds is important.)

The skin over the arm is thicker, there are fewer capillaries, it is more difficult to clean and generally, more difficult to get enough blood.

[Zookeeper]

8. My daughter was encourage to test on her forearm..

and she won't do it.

[Dead_Parrot]

9. "color-changing contact lenses?"

Umm, is is just me, or this less than useful? Unless you spend all day in front of the mirror, you'd be the last person to find out...

I think you're right to be worried. Give it 10 years, you'll have your SS number tattooed on you arm - which turns green if you've taken cannabis in the last week, blue if you've had a drink, and red if you've smoked a cigarette. I'm sure some employers would love it.

[sutz12]

10. I believe the lenses would change color...

throughout, so the wearer would notice the change in tint as their whole world starts to change to red (or whatever color). It wouldn't be like the eye color change contacts you are used to, where the color is just over the iris.

[Occulus]

11. Not to mention, insurance companies.

Law enforcement...