Prototype smart ring cracks the holy grail of non-invasive blood sugar measurement - 9to5Mac

What the report says

9to5Mac reported that engineers at the University of California, San Diego have built a prototype smart ring that may represent an important step toward non-invasive blood sugar monitoring. The device sends data to a companion app on a paired iPhone and differs from current smart rings, which generally rely on sensors that capture biophysical signals such as heart rate, temperature, breathing and sleep data.

According to the report, the UC San Diego team’s ring adds molecular sensing by analyzing sweat from the finger, with technology that can draw sweat from the skin rather than requiring exercise. Citing a Nature Communications paper published July 23, 9to5Mac said the prototype can continuously monitor as many as four biochemical markers from a list that includes glucose, ketones, vitamin C, uric acid, lactate and alcohol concentrations.

The article said the researchers see particular promise for Type 1 diabetes management because simultaneous glucose and ketone tracking could help inform insulin dosing. 9to5Mac also reported that testing showed results close to those from invasive continuous glucose monitors and blood draws, though the device remains a prototype rather than a consumer product.

The development matters because reliable glucose monitoring without needles or implanted sensors has long been a major goal for health wearables. Still, the current version appears early-stage: 9to5Mac noted that it is bulky and has battery life of about 12 hours. The report framed the work as a possible direction for future smart rings, rather than an imminent commercial release.