An In-Vitro Optical Sensor Designed to Estimate Glycated Hemoglobin Levels

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Optical Sensing

Background:

• Current methods for measuring glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) are invasive.
• Non-invasive monitoring of HbA1c is crucial for diabetic patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and develop a non-invasive optical sensor for evaluating HbA1c percentages.
• To offer a convenient alternative to existing invasive HbA1c monitoring techniques.

Main Methods:

• Assembled a prototype sensor with LEDs (535 nm, 593 nm), a photodiode, and a microcontroller.
• Measured transmitted light intensity to determine output voltage.
• Employed a multiple variable regression analysis algorithm to calculate HbA1c molar absorption coefficients.
• Fitted sensor output voltage to an exponentially decaying model for concentration estimation.

Main Results:

• The optical sensor successfully measured transmitted light intensity.
• A method was devised to estimate HbA1c percentages based on absorbance changes.
• Molar absorption coefficients of HbA1c were calculated at specific wavelengths.
• Device measurements were verified against a commercial chemical assay.

Conclusions:

• The developed optical sensor shows potential for non-invasive HbA1c monitoring.
• This technology could improve convenience and accessibility for diabetic patients.
• Further validation may lead to clinical applications for diabetes management.