Google are at it again! Yes, their innovation knows no bounds. They have developed a smart contact lens that can monitor a diabetic’s glucose levels. Ingenious!

Although still in the early stages of development, this would be a huge leap forward for people with diabetes to continuously monitor their blood sugar levels.

How’s it work? Well by a clever combination of miniature glucose sensors, antennas and tiny wireless chips embedded between two layers of soft contact lens, the lenses will read glucose in tears. A diabetic’s blood sugar levels fluctuate throughout any given day; hence, using a needle is not only painful but will often lead to sufferers avoiding checking. Of course, this can then lead to complications with the heart, kidneys and eyes.

The co-founders at GoogleX (the home of Google Glass) Babek Parviz and Brian Otis had this to say.

“At GoogleX, we wondered if miniaturised electronics — think chips and sensors so small they look like bits of glitter, and an antenna thinner than a human hair — might be a way to crack the mystery of tear glucose and measure it with greater accuracy. We’re testing prototypes that can generate a reading once per second.”

They are currently seeking partners that will develop apps which can send results of glucose measurements to users and doctors. If development is successful, these will sit wonderfully along with Google Glass.

It never ceases to amaze me that a company that was only founded in 1998, September 4th to be exact, has achieved so much in this short span of time. Of course, many of us have a Gmail account, have used Google Earth and Google Maps. They offer some 120 services.

How many times have you heard or indeed said the phrase, “I’ll Google it”. Of course, we all know that it means to search on the web. That is when you know you have hit pay dirt when your company hits the zeitgeist to become a generic term!

They originated with a company name of ‘BackRub’! I have to say that it was probably wise that they changed the name as searching for this could’ve led to all manner of results!

I looked forward to their Google Doodle, as many millions do worldwide. To turn on the computer and see how the clever designers have marked a birthday etc of significant person/persons or celebrated a particular day etc is always a treat. The first ‘doodle’ was a Burning Man symbol. Founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin went to the Burning Man festival in 1998 and added the doodle to let users know they were away from the office that weekend.

I love the fact that a new employee is called a “Noogler” and a former employee is referred to as a “Xoogler”. It has me thinking of terms for our team here at Comms!

A footnote to the ‘BackRub’ company name – when the company went public in 2004 a 1,000 some employees were made millionaires, including masseuse Bonnie Brown, who worked at the company giving ‘back rubs’ for $450 a week back in 1999!

Until next time…