3D-Printed Glucose Biosensors

People with diabetes most commonly monitor their disease with glucose meters that require constant fingerpricking. Continuous glucose monitoring systems are an alternative but they are not cost-effective. Researchers have been working to develop wearable, flexible electronics that can conform to patients’ skin and monitor the glucose in body fluids such as sweat. To build such sensors, manufacturers have used traditional manufacturing strategies such as photolithography or screen printing. While these methods work, they have several drawbacks including requiring the use of harmful chemicals and expensive cleanroom processing. They also create a lot of waste.