Novel wearable monitors blood sugar via human breath
With Isaac, US company PreEvnt has developed a non-invasive blood sugar monitoring device. The device was presented at CES 2026.
(Image: PreEvnt)
US company PreEvnt has unveiled a non-invasive blood sugar monitoring device at CES 2026 in Las Vegas. This was reported by US magazine Wired. According to the manufacturer, the device is suitable for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, as well as for people who want to monitor their blood sugar levels for health reasons.
The device, called Isaac, is about the size of a 2-euro coin and measures the biomarker acetone in human breath, Wired writes. The sweet, fruity smell of acetone in the breath is a common symptom of the metabolic disease diabetes mellitus and is associated with rising glucose levels in the blood. According to PreEvnt, Isaac can therefore only indicate elevated blood sugar levels and cannot provide exact readings. Thus, the device will not completely replace continuous blood sugar monitoring. However, according to the manufacturer, the device reduces the frequency of classic blood sugar measurements.
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Blood sugar monitoring without needle pricks
The advanced aspect is that the small monitoring device works without needle pricks under the skin. It is therefore particularly suitable for children and the elderly. Current blood sugar measurement methods have so far been invasive. The measurement is typically done using a small amount of blood taken through a needle prick. The blood sample is then applied to a test strip, which is read by a measuring device based on a chemical reaction between the blood and the test strip.
Even more modern measurement methods, such as the sensors used in Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM), usually work with a subcutaneous needle. However, CGM sensors monitor glucose concentration in the tissue, not in the blood.
Approval planned for next year
The concept of Isaac was already presented by PreEvnt at CES 2025. Since the end of last year, the device has been undergoing its first clinical study on humans in collaboration with Indiana University. The study compares the performance of Isaac with classic methods for monitoring blood sugar levels. Isaac is scheduled to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the US regulatory body for food and drugs, in 2027 through a De Novo process. A De Novo classification is a regulatory pathway for medical devices in the USA for which no comparable predecessor products exist.
A smartphone app is also being developed for PreEvnt's Isaac, which is intended to log blood sugar values and consumed foods and display them on a timeline. Within the app, people with diabetes can store emergency contacts who should be contacted if necessary. According to Wired, the app is currently in the final stages of development but could already be tested at CES.
heise online is an official media partner of CES 2026.
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