Low-cost chipless RFID glucose sensor for diabetes screening

Diabetes is a widely spread chronic metabolic disease that in many cases goes undiagnosed, especially in developing countries. In this paper, we present the design, implementation and testing of a low-cost, small-size chipless RFID sensor integrated with a glucose-Concavalin A affinity based sensitive fluid. The sensor is capable of measuring physiological blood glucose levels as a function of the flow rate of a mixture of the sensitive material and blood plasma through a paper channel. Experiments have been conducted to ensure that the sensor is able to differentiate between high and low plasma glucose concentrations (2.5 mM and 10 mM). The obtained results are statistically significant and prove that the sensor can be an option for mass screenings especially in medium- and low-income countries where access to regular medical equipment is limited.