Earpiece with glucose sensor and system

Abstract

An earpiece may include an earpiece housing, an intelligent control disposed within the earpiece housing, and a glucose sensor operatively connected to the intelligent control. The intelligent control may be configured to determine glucose levels associated with a user of the earpiece using the glucose sensor. The earpiece may further include a wireless transceiver disposed within the earpiece housing, the wireless transceiver operatively connected to the intelligent control. The glucose sensor may be a non-invasive glucose sensor such as a near infrared glucose sensor. The earpiece housing may be configured to position the glucose sensor against a wall of the external auditory canal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An earpiece comprising:
 an earpiece housing configured as an ear bud and sized and shaped to fit a portion of the earpiece housing into an external auditory canal;   an intelligent control disposed within the earpiece housing;   a glucose sensor operatively connected to the intelligent control, the glucose sensor configured to position the glucose sensor against a wall of the external auditory canal;   wherein the intelligent control is configured to determine glucose levels associated with a user of the earpiece using the glucose sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The earpiece of  claim 1 , further comprising a wireless transceiver disposed within the earpiece housing, the wireless transceiver operatively connected to the intelligent control. 
     
     
         3 . The earpiece of  claim 2 , wherein the glucose sensor is a non-invasive glucose sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The earpiece of  claim 3 , wherein the glucose sensor is a near infrared glucose sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The earpiece of  claim 4 , wherein the earpiece is a first earpiece within a set of earpieces comprising the first earpiece and a second earpiece. 
     
     
         6 . The earpiece of  claim 5 , wherein the first earpiece wirelessly communicates the glucose levels associated with the user of the first earpiece to the second earpiece. 
     
     
         7 . The earpiece of  claim 6 , wherein the first earpiece further comprises a speaker operably coupled to the intelligent control and a microphone operably coupled to the intelligent control; wherein the intelligent control disposed within the earpiece housing configured to play music and/or audio. 
     
     
         8 . A method of glucose monitoring of an individual using an earpiece, the method comprising:
 providing the earpiece, the earpiece comprising an earpiece housing configured as an ear bud and sized and shaped to fit a portion of the earpiece housing into an external auditory canal, an intelligent control disposed within the earpiece housing, and a glucose sensor operatively connected to the intelligent control, the glucose sensor configured to position the glucose sensor against a wall of the external auditory canal; and   sensing glucose levels of the individual at an ear of the user using the glucose sensor of the ear piece.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising wirelessly communicating the glucose levels of the individual from the earpiece to a mobile device using a wireless transceiver disposed within the earpiece housing, the wireless transceiver operatively connected to the intelligent control. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the glucose sensor is non-invasive. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the glucose sensor provides continuous measurement. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the glucose sensor utilizes near infrared monitoring. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the earpiece if a first earpiece within a set of earpieces comprising the first earpiece and the second earpiece and wherein the method further comprises wireless communicating the glucose levels of the individual from the first earpiece to the second earpiece. 
     
     
         14 . A method of glucose monitoring of an individual using a set of earpieces, each of the earpieces comprising an earpiece housing, an intelligent control disposed within the earpiece housing, a transceiver and a glucose sensor operatively connected to the intelligent control, the glucose sensor configured to position the glucose sensor against a wall of an external auditory canal, the method comprising:
 sensing a first glucose level of the individual by a first of the earpieces at a first external auditory canal of a first ear of the user using the glucose sensor of the first of the earpieces and a second glucose level of the individual by a second of the earpieces at a second external auditory canal of a second ear of the user using the glucose sensor of the second of the earpieces;   communicating the sensed first glucose level from the first of the earpieces within the set of earpieces to the second of the earpieces within the set of earpieces by the transceiver of the first of the earpiece operatively connected to the intelligent control; and   comparing the sensed first glucose level from the first of the earpieces and the second glucose level of the second of the earpieces by the intelligent control of the second of the earpieces to determine differences in the first glucose level and the second glucose level to increase accuracy and/or detect error in the first glucose level and the second glucose level.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising wirelessly communicating the at least one of the first glucose level and the second glucose level of the individual from the earpieces to a mobile device using the wireless transceiver disposed within the earpiece housing of one of the each of the earpieces, the wireless transceiver operatively connected to the intelligent control. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the glucose sensor is non-invasive. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the glucose sensor provides continuous measurement. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the glucose sensor utilizes near infrared monitoring.