Implantable glucose monitor

Abstract

Implantable device for measuring the glucose concentration of a body fluid when implanted, the device comprising a glucose measurement unit, the glucose measurement unit comprising a light source configured to emit light towards a light transmissive part of a housing of the device, the device further comprising an optical sensor configured to detect light returned through the transmissive part from the light source, and output an electrical signal based on the detected light, and a wireless communication module configured to wirelessly communicate with an external wireless communication device, wherein the wireless communication module is configured to wirelessly transmit a signal based on the electrical signal to the external wireless communication device.

1 . An implantable device for measuring a glucose concentration of a body fluid, the implantable device comprising:
 a first light source configured to provide a first polarized light,   a first linear polarizer configured to provide a second polarized light by linearly polarizing a first part of the first polarized light,   a first optical sensor configured to detect the second polarized light and output a first electrical signal based on the detected second polarized light,   a second linear polarizer configured to provide a third polarized light by linearly polarizing a second part of the first polarized light or a fourth polarized light provided by a second light source, and   a second optical sensor configured to detect the third polarized light, and output a second electrical signal based on the detected third polarized light; and   a communication module configured to transmit a signal to an external communication device, the signal being based on the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal.   
     
     
         2 . The implantable device according to  claim 1 , wherein the implantable device is configured to wirelessly receive power from the external communication device. 
     
     
         3 . The implantable device according to  claim 1 , wherein the implantable device is dimensioned to be implantable into a human blood vessel. 
     
     
         4 . The implantable device according to  claim 1  configured such that the first polarized light is emitted through a light transmissive part of a housing of the implantable device and the first part of the first polarized light is received through the light transmissive part. 
     
     
         5 . The implantable device according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one lens arranged to focus the first polarized light emitted from the first light source. 
     
     
         6 . The implantable device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first light source is arranged to provide the first polarized light linearly polarized in a first plane,   wherein the first linear polarizer is arranged to linearly polarize the first part of the first polarized light in a second plane substantially orthogonal to the first plane, and   wherein the second linear polarizer is arranged to linearly polarize the second part of the first polarized light or the fourth polarized light in a third plane, wherein the third plane is substantially parallel to the first plane.   
     
     
         7 . The implantable device according to  claim 1 , wherein the implantable device comprises the second light source. 
     
     
         8 . The implantable device according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication module is a wireless communication module configured to wirelessly transmit the signal to the external communication device. 
     
     
         9 . The implantable device according to  claim 1 , wherein the implantable device is capsule-shaped. 
     
     
         10 . The implantable device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor, wherein the communication module is configured to transmit a temperature signal based on a temperature measured by the temperature sensor to the external communication device. 
     
     
         11 . The implementable device of  claim 1 , wherein the first linear polarizer is arranged to linearly polarize the first part of the first polarized light in a first plane, and the second linear polarizer is arranged to linearly polarize the second part of the first polarized light or the fourth polarized light in a second plane, and
 wherein first plane is non-parallel with the second plane.   
     
     
         12 . A system comprising:
 an implantable device for measuring a glucose concentration of a body fluid, the implantable device comprising:
 a first light source configured to provide a first polarized light, 
 a first linear polarizer configured to provide a second polarized light by linearly polarizing a first part of the first polarized light, 
 a first optical sensor configured to detect the second polarized light and output a first electrical signal based on the detected second polarized light, 
 a second linear polarizer configured to provide a third polarized light by linearly polarizing a second part of the first polarized light or a fourth polarized light provided by a second light source, 
 a second optical sensor configured to detect the third polarized light and output a second electrical signal based on the detected third polarized light, and 
 a communication module; and 
   an external communication device,   wherein the communication module of the implantable device is configured to transmit a signal to the external communication device, the signal being based on the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal.   
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the external communication device comprises a smartphone. 
     
     
         14 . A method comprising:
 providing an implantable device for measuring a glucose concentration of a body fluid, the implantable device comprising:
 a first light source configured to provide a first polarized light, 
 a first linear polarizer configured to provide a second polarized light by linearly polarizing a first part of the first polarized light, 
 a second linear polarizer configured to provide a third polarized light by linearly polarizing a second part of the first polarized light or a fourth polarized light provided by a second light source, 
 a first optical sensor configured to detect the second polarized light and to output a first electrical signal based on the second polarized light that has been detected by the first optical sensor, 
 a second optical sensor configured to detect the third polarized light and to output a second electrical signal based on the third polarized light that has been detected by the second optical sensor, and 
 a communication module configured to communicate with an external communication device; 
   emitting the first polarized light by the first light source of the implantable device;   detecting, by the first optical sensor of the implantable device, the second polarized light;   detecting, by the second optical sensor of the implantable device, the third polarized light;   outputting, by the first optical sensor, a first electrical signal based on the second polarized light that has been detected by the first optical sensor;   outputting, by the second optical sensor, a second electrical signal based on the third polarized light that has been detected by the second optical sensor; and   transmitting, by the communication module of the implantable device, a signal based on the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal to an external communication device.   
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the implantable device is configured to wirelessly receive power from the external communication device. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the communication module is a wireless communication module configured to wirelessly transmit the signal to the external communication device. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the implantable device is configured such that the first polarized light is emitted through a light transmissive part of a housing of the implantable device and the first part of the first polarized light is received through the light transmissive part. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the implantable device further comprises at least one lens arranged to focus the first polarized light. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the implantable device is capsule-shaped. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the first linear polarizer is arranged to linearly polarize the first part of the first polarized light in a first plane, and the second linear polarizer is arranged to linearly polarize the second part of the first polarized light or the fourth polarized light in a second plane, and
 wherein first plane is non-parallel with the second plane.