That’s the idea behind new research from Binghamton University that could revolutionize diabetes management by eliminating the pain and hassle.

Adapting the knowledge that Professor Seokheun “Sean” Choi’s Bioelectronics and Microsystems Lab has gained about biobatteries over the past 15 years, the new paper-based biosensor system uses Bacillus subtilis bacterial spores that germinate in response to glucose in potassium-rich bodily fluids, such as sweat. The amount of power generated would determine the glucose level.

Choi, Assistant Professor Anwar Elhadad, Ph.D., and Ph.D. student Yang “Lexi” Gao from the Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering recently published their findings in the journal Microsystems & Nanoengineering.