Blood sugar monitoring via the Apple Watch is something the company has reportedly wanted to achieve from the beginning. A report in 2023 stated that the first Apple Watch was originally intended to launch with non-invasive glucose monitoring as a core feature.
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Since then, there have been numerous reports claiming that the health feature would be released on whatever Apple Watch was next at the time. More than a decade later, that still hasn't happened, but the release of a new device suggests we may be getting closer.
The International Diabetes Federation estimates that more than 10% of the adult population now has diabetes, and almost half of them don't know it. Diabetes kills millions of people every year, and the risks are particularly acute for those who develop type 2 diabetes before the age of 40.
Early detection saves lives, but existing blood sugar monitoring devices are invasive, requiring the insertion of a small needle into the skin. For this reason, only those at known risk are likely to use the technology.
Non-invasive blood sugar monitoring has long been considered the holy grail of health technology. If the feature could be added to a device worn by millions of people around the world, like the Apple Watch, it has the potential to save a huge number of lives.
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The most promising route to noninvasive glucose measurement is through breath. “Acetone breath” is a common symptom of diabetes, and a new device that takes advantage of it is undergoing clinical trials and hopes to receive FDA approval sometime this year.
The device being tested takes the form of a pendant worn around the neck. Isaac is a small device, about the size of a coin, that measures volatile organic compounds in your breath to detect biomarkers such as acetone that can be associated with elevated blood glucose levels.
The device has entered active human clinical trials at Indiana University to compare Isaac's performance to traditional blood sugar monitoring, starting with adolescents with type 1 diabetes and then expanding to adults with type 2 diabetes. The trials are being conducted with the goal of regulatory review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration next year.
The way the device works is that you hold it close to your mouth and breathe out. This means it doesn't offer continuous measurement but can be used on a daily basis, with each test only taking a few seconds.
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This is a technology that could potentially be included in an Apple Watch. The biggest challenge seems to be miniaturization, as Isaac is currently about the same size as an Apple Watch itself. If this device gets FDA approval this year, then it's a hugely encouraging sign for an approach that could later be adopted by Apple.
