The average diabetic will prick his finger more than a quarter million times in a lifetime! It is estimated that more than 230 million people are living with diabetes globally – with this number expected to surpass 380 million by 2026.

No cure exists for diabetes and checking blood glucose levels regularly is the only effective method of managing the disease. Current methods are invasive, painful and often inaccurate. The future of diabetes management is RFID technology. Digital Angel of South St. Paul, MN, one of ELCAN Optical Technologies' current medical innovation partners, is a world-leader in implantable RFID technology.

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) systems use a radio frequency variation to communicate information about an object it is attached to. The RFID reader broadcasts a radio signal, which is received by the tag. Like regular radio, RFID operates on the spectrum of radio frequency bands controlled by government radio regulation authorities. For RFID use, LF (low frequency – used to identify pets and livestock) operates at 135 kHz and HF (high frequency) at 13.56 MHz. There is no universal standard for UHF (ultra-high frequency) RFID, which operates at 868 MHz in Europe and 915 MHz in North America.

RFID tags can be passive, semi-passive or active. Active tags have a battery to continuously power the tag and its radio frequency communication circuitry. Passive tags utilize energy transferred from the reader to power the tag. Semi-passive tags use an internal power source to monitor environmental conditions, but require energy from the external reader (similar to a passive tag) to power a response.

The future of diabetes management:

Digital Angel is a world-leader in the field of animal tracking with millions of tags actively in use worldwide - from livestock identification to help safeguard our food chain through to tagging high-value investments including over 6 million racehorses.

Leveraging this expertise, Digital Angel has taken RFID technology to new frontiers. DA's system is the first and only patented, FDA-cleared, renewable glucose sensor used in conjunction with an implantable bio-sensing RFID microchip to measure in vivo glucose levels in humans – monitoring blood glucose levels without requiring the patient to prick his finger to draw a blood sample. The system utilizes cylindrical microchips implanted into the subcutaneous tissues above the triceps using a hypodermic needle. This passive RFID system is sealed in biocompatible glass and covered by a sheath to prevent migration. A working prototype is expected this year.

As this technology advances, the potential exists to operate internal cardiac defibrillators, mitigate chronic pain with spinal chord stimulation and to reduce Parkinson's disease symptoms through the use of deep brain stimulation. HF RFID can provide bi-directional communication to allow for not only, blood glucose monitoring, but also insulin dispensation and provides a suitable platform to encompass encryption protocols to prevent communication with unauthorized readers.

ELCAN's microelectronics facility in Málaga Spain, produces millions of RFID transponders using high-volume, high-precision electronics manufacturing and will continue to leverage this experience to remain a pivotal partner turning brilliant theory into innovative medical devices.

Company Profile:

ELCAN Optical Technologies, in Málaga Spain, is on the cutting-edge of RFID technology for medical applications setting new standards for patient care. ELCAN (http://www.ELCANelectronics.com) works with customers seeking to design new optoelectronic systems in medical diagnostics, digital imaging and advanced sensing applications. We can provide complete end-to-end optical, electronic and optoelectronic solutions to speed your idea to market. ELCAN's global procurement and contract manufacturing takes your idea from initial design and custom prototyping, through to cost-efficient high-volume production.

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