Comsol Case Studies Bringing Glucose Monitoring to New Levels through Integrated Sensor Design

	Bringing Glucose Monitoring to New Levels through Integrated Sensor Design Comsol

Bringing Glucose Monitoring to New Levels through Integrated Sensor Design

Comsol

Technology Category	Analytics & Modeling - Predictive Analytics Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Visualization
Applicable Industries	Healthcare & Hospitals Life Sciences
Applicable Functions	Product Research & Development Quality Assurance
Use Cases	Predictive Maintenance Clinical Image Analysis Remote Patient Monitoring
Services	Software Design & Engineering Services System Integration
Challenge	Close metabolic control through glucose monitoring is essential for persons with diabetes to maintain good health and avoid medical complications. However, the chemical reactions on the sensing strips used in glucose monitors are sensitive to environmental conditions and chemical interferences. Sensors are shipped worldwide, stored under uncertain conditions, and used by individuals with varying levels of knowledge and experience. Robust design is crucial for enabling sensors to survive these environments, deliver accurate results, and detect conditions that would cause errors. Multiphysics simulation is now used alongside experiments and calculations, enabling scientists to understand the chemical, electrical, and biological phenomena interacting in these systems so they can optimize their design and measurement methods. Read More
About Customer	Roche Diabetes Care, a division of Roche Diagnostics, is a global leader in diabetes diagnostic products and services. The company is dedicated to improving the lives of people with diabetes through innovative solutions and technologies. Roche Diabetes Care offers a wide range of products, including glucose meters, test strips, and insulin delivery systems, designed to help individuals manage their diabetes effectively. With a strong focus on research and development, Roche Diabetes Care continuously strives to enhance the accuracy and reliability of its products, ensuring that users can make informed decisions about their health. The company operates worldwide, providing support and resources to healthcare professionals and patients alike. Read More
Solution	Engineers at Roche Diabetes Care are pursuing a better understanding of the electrochemistry in their existing devices and designing new sensing methods to provide more accurate monitoring. Their glucometers measure the electric current that results when a voltage is applied to an electrode system, with the current being proportional to glucose levels in an electrolyte solution. Using COMSOL Multiphysics® software simulations, the Roche team studied a new test strip design and isolated the chemical reactions from the electrical, mechanical, and temperature conditions to analyze the voltage response. They built a one-dimensional model to understand and predict the responses, combining Michaelis Menten enzyme kinetics and mixed Butler-Volmer electrode kinetics. Additionally, they applied an AC signal to obtain impedance information used to compensate for temperature and hematocrit effects. This mathematical algorithm provided the sensor with the information needed to make accurate glucose predictions. The team also built a second model of the cell in 3D to solve the electrical problem, investigating different electrode configurations and materials to predict the sensitivity of the impedance measurements to hematocrit and other mechanical properties of the sensor. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Predictive Analytics

Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Visualization

Applicable Industries

Healthcare & Hospitals

Life Sciences

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development

Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Predictive Maintenance

Clinical Image Analysis

Remote Patient Monitoring

Services

Software Design & Engineering Services

System Integration

Challenge

Close metabolic control through glucose monitoring is essential for persons with diabetes to maintain good health and avoid medical complications. However, the chemical reactions on the sensing strips used in glucose monitors are sensitive to environmental conditions and chemical interferences. Sensors are shipped worldwide, stored under uncertain conditions, and used by individuals with varying levels of knowledge and experience. Robust design is crucial for enabling sensors to survive these environments, deliver accurate results, and detect conditions that would cause errors. Multiphysics simulation is now used alongside experiments and calculations, enabling scientists to understand the chemical, electrical, and biological phenomena interacting in these systems so they can optimize their design and measurement methods.

About Customer

Roche Diabetes Care, a division of Roche Diagnostics, is a global leader in diabetes diagnostic products and services. The company is dedicated to improving the lives of people with diabetes through innovative solutions and technologies. Roche Diabetes Care offers a wide range of products, including glucose meters, test strips, and insulin delivery systems, designed to help individuals manage their diabetes effectively. With a strong focus on research and development, Roche Diabetes Care continuously strives to enhance the accuracy and reliability of its products, ensuring that users can make informed decisions about their health. The company operates worldwide, providing support and resources to healthcare professionals and patients alike.

Solution

Engineers at Roche Diabetes Care are pursuing a better understanding of the electrochemistry in their existing devices and designing new sensing methods to provide more accurate monitoring. Their glucometers measure the electric current that results when a voltage is applied to an electrode system, with the current being proportional to glucose levels in an electrolyte solution. Using COMSOL Multiphysics® software simulations, the Roche team studied a new test strip design and isolated the chemical reactions from the electrical, mechanical, and temperature conditions to analyze the voltage response. They built a one-dimensional model to understand and predict the responses, combining Michaelis Menten enzyme kinetics and mixed Butler-Volmer electrode kinetics. Additionally, they applied an AC signal to obtain impedance information used to compensate for temperature and hematocrit effects. This mathematical algorithm provided the sensor with the information needed to make accurate glucose predictions. The team also built a second model of the cell in 3D to solve the electrical problem, investigating different electrode configurations and materials to predict the sensitivity of the impedance measurements to hematocrit and other mechanical properties of the sensor.

Impact #1	The use of COMSOL Multiphysics® software allowed Roche to investigate parameters that were impossible to measure experimentally, making informed design decisions and optimizing their electrode configuration.
Impact #2	The new sensor design corrects the DC signal for more accurate glucose measurements, setting a new standard for biosensing devices.
Impact #3	The innovative system includes built-in sensing capabilities, leading to better care for persons with diabetes.

Impact #1

The use of COMSOL Multiphysics® software allowed Roche to investigate parameters that were impossible to measure experimentally, making informed design decisions and optimizing their electrode configuration.

Impact #2

The new sensor design corrects the DC signal for more accurate glucose measurements, setting a new standard for biosensing devices.

Impact #3

The innovative system includes built-in sensing capabilities, leading to better care for persons with diabetes.

Download PDF Version

Overview

Bringing Glucose Monitoring to New Levels through Integrated Sensor Design

Operational Impact