Why work on a non-invasive glucose monitor?
Monitoring your blood glucose is hard. People with diabetes don’t like to prick their fingers before and after each meal - in fact nobody likes to prick their finger, ever.

If you have diabetes, not knowing your glucose levels can turn into a life and death situation and ignoring hypo/hyper events has a serious impact on your overall health. We all know someone who has diabetes and doesn’t monitor their blood glucose levels effectively and it’s because pricking your finger sucks. We’re about to change that. 


How does it work?
It’s simple and it’s also not.  

Simple Version 
We use radio waves to detect changes in your body.  

Complex Version 
We use radio waves to detect changes in your body. We do this by analyzing the amplitude of specific radio waves between minimum and maximum concentration levels of what’s flowing through your circulatory system. Through complex data science and machine learning, we can detect different molecules and how much of these molecules are flowing through your body. It’s a very exciting discovery, probably on the level of the X-Ray machine.   

We call this technology Bio-RFID (Body-Radio Frequency Identification).

There's a bunch of science behind this technology in this FAQ.
 

How do you measure blood glucose?
Using spectroscopy combined with the Bio-RFID sensor we invented. 

The field of spectroscopy is a well-established science going back more than 100 years. It’s actually how a lot of blood tests are currently performed in scientific/medical labs. Our custom sensor is able to see the amount of glucose that’s in your bloodstream at any given time. It was not easy to do this. Check out this link explaining the science of spectroscopy to learn more. 


Can you further explain the science?
The science of spectroscopy has been around for more than 100 years. It’s how we know what stars are made of and currently it is one of the most reliably used methods for modern-day blood tests in a lab. Watch the video below and you’ll totally get it.

Natural Resonance Frequency of Molecular Vibration
Video Series by Dr Bryce Crawford 
Prof of Physical Chemistry
University of Minnesota (1939-1985)

Short Version - 8 mins
Extended Mix - 22 mins

He was a member of the National Academy of Sciences since 1956. Among his awards are the Priestley Medal.


What is radiofrequency spectroscopy?
This is not really a field yet. Some folks are beginning to understand how powerful radio frequencies are, eg. Google’s Project Soli. We’ve doubled down on it because our research shows it is the future of personal health. We’ve poured thousands of hours into learning, inventing and understanding how it all works. 


Is it safe?
Yes. The technology is as safe as everyday radio, TV and WiFi signals.  

There is a debate around this on the internet and we are well aware of it. The overwhelming consensus is - it’s safe. But given all that - here’s some hard data compared to a cell phone.  

KnowU and UBand- <5mw (only 1 inch range required) 

Cell Phones - 1000mw/2000mw (long range in excess of 3 miles often required)  

Doing the math: 1,440 minutes in a day 288 x 5 minute blocks 25mw of exposure per block (5 seconds every 5 minutes) yields 288 * 25mw = 0.72w of exposure per day from our prototype. So, this means if you use UBand all day it’s the equivalent exposure of a 5 sec phone call.  

Article: http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2012/ph250/lu1/ 


Do your devices need to be calibrated before or during use? In other words, do you need to use a finger stick to define a baseline for the device to work correctly?
The Bio-RFID technology platform can accurately identify molecules in your bloodstream, such as glucose, oxygen, and alcohol. As the technology can identify and measure the amount of a specific molecule, there is no need to use a different device, such as a finger stick, for calibration.


How does Bio-RFID compare to other glucose monitoring devices?
Tests conducted by Know Labs’ R&D team show a strong correlation of the readings between Know Labs’ non-invasive Bio-RFID and FDA-cleared finger stick blood glucose monitors and other CGMs devices in the market.


I don’t have diabetes, why do my glucose levels matter?
Your brain is powered by glucose. This is a big deal. When you haven’t eaten and feel tired or grumpy - that’s because your glucose levels are not optimum. UBand will help you understand mood swings in terms of data/biomarkers and give you a leg up in managing your overall physical and mental health.  

Article: The Brain's Unique Metabolic Profile 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK22436/  

Article: The Importance of Glucose to the Brain 
https://examinedexistence.com/the-importance-of-glucose-to-the-brain/ 


Which variables can impact Bio-RFID performance? Does accuracy vary based on users’ activity, skin tone, or wrist used for measurement?
We have performed hundreds of tests with Bio-RFID. To date, we haven’t seen any performance interference due to variables like age, weight, skin tone and skin thickness. Most importantly, results to date show Bio-RFID sensors have superior or equivalent accuracy than any other glucose monitoring device available in the market.


Will there be an app?
Yes, we will have an iOS and Android app.


Can I set alerts to know when my blood glucose level is too high or too low?
Yes! You will be able to set custom notifications on your smartphone app to alert you when your levels are too high or too low. UBand will also have a vibration notification alert for when you’re hyperglycemic or hypoglycemic.


How long does the battery last?
We are aiming to have a 7-day battery life. You can also adjust the settings to measure more or less often, which can make the battery last longer.


Is it waterproof?
Yes. You can shower with it on, but don’t go swimming or diving.


Does this require FDA approval?
Yes, our device will require FDA approval. We will post updates as we get closer to submitting our application.


When do you foresee your devices being available for distribution?
We get this question a lot but it’s hard to predict an exact date. This is transformative technology so our focus is getting it right - as fast as possible.


Can you detect anything else?
Yes. We have done preliminary tests on substances other than blood glucose with promising results. One of these tests measured blood alcohol, oxygen and acetaminophen levels accurately.