Alphabet unit halts glucose-detecting contact lens project

Alphabet Inc’s life sciences division Verily said on Friday that it was putting on hold one of its oldest and highest-profile projects, a smart contact lens designed to help monitor sugar levels. The project, started in 2014, aimed to help diabetics better manage their blood sugar levels by embedding sensors on a contact lens to monitor the glucose levels in their tears. In a blog update, Verily cited here insufficient consistency in the correlation between tear glucose and blood glucose concentrations to support the requirements of a medical device.

Verily, which was previously part of the tech firm’s Google X research and development unit, had partnered with Novartis’ eye-care division, Alcon, to develop the lens.

Source: reuters.com