New microchip could bring portable spectroscopy to iPhone, Apple Watch
Si-Ware on Tuesday revealed an iPhone-compatible spectroscopy chip, the NeoSpectra Micro, which could potentially expand the uses of both mobile devices and wearables in areas like health, science, and nutrition.
The company is demonstrating an iPhone case with the chip that can analyze food and drinks for things like caffeine and gluten levels, according to Digital Trends. Because the chip measures only 18-by-18 millimeters, it could be conceivably be built directly into phones and wearables, in the latter case scanning for factors like glucose levels.
Spectroscopy involves analyzing the wavelengths absorbed and emitted by materials, giving a glimpse at their chemical composition.
Si-Ware is said to be marketing the Micro directly to device manufacturers, planning mass production for the fourth quarter of the year. Developers should have access to units with the next month or two. The company is hoping that spectrometers will eventually become a common feature of consumer electronics, much like accelerometers and gyroscopes.
The Micro does cost $100, however, likely making it impractical to build into a product like Apple's iPhone without jacking up prices, at least in the the chip's current incarnation.
Apple has sometimes been rumored as wanting more advanced biometrics sensors on the Apple Watch, going beyond the motion and heartrate sensors found on current models. A recent report, however, hinted that Apple is dropping those ambitions for a third-generation model, instead focusing on a faster processor and better battery life.
The company is demonstrating an iPhone case with the chip that can analyze food and drinks for things like caffeine and gluten levels, according to Digital Trends. Because the chip measures only 18-by-18 millimeters, it could be conceivably be built directly into phones and wearables, in the latter case scanning for factors like glucose levels.
Spectroscopy involves analyzing the wavelengths absorbed and emitted by materials, giving a glimpse at their chemical composition.
Si-Ware is said to be marketing the Micro directly to device manufacturers, planning mass production for the fourth quarter of the year. Developers should have access to units with the next month or two. The company is hoping that spectrometers will eventually become a common feature of consumer electronics, much like accelerometers and gyroscopes.
The Micro does cost $100, however, likely making it impractical to build into a product like Apple's iPhone without jacking up prices, at least in the the chip's current incarnation.
Apple has sometimes been rumored as wanting more advanced biometrics sensors on the Apple Watch, going beyond the motion and heartrate sensors found on current models. A recent report, however, hinted that Apple is dropping those ambitions for a third-generation model, instead focusing on a faster processor and better battery life.
Comments
The challenge, of course, is that such a function would necessarily be regulated as a medical device, and would have to be tested and approved for use on a schedule not particularly compatible with the hardware release cycle for an all-in-one device like the Apple watch. You can compound that complexity with independent approval processes in multiple national jurisdictions. You could imagine a scenario where the components are quietly built into a given model release of the watch and then miraculously turned on with much fanfare in an OS update. Otherwise the medical testing and approvals would hold all other hardware advances hostage.
The good news is that I believe the rapid state of improvement of such software and hardware make such medicalized devices universally acceptable (over-the-counter) in 10 years.
a tiny chip that measures glucose and caffeine by analyzing wavelengths?
We're living in the future.
It's about the same size as all the chips in the watch combined.
Cool yes, but going into anything other than a specialised device anytime soon no.
My reaction was "that's a HUGE chip" to slip into an iPhone or Watch, but agreed the functionality is impressive. Just like gyroscopes and accelerometers, I expect this will get teeny tiny sooner rather than later.
I expect that the first generation or two or products will be add-on devices which will be fully regulated medical devices (and be relatively expensive). Then it'll be baked into general purpose devices when proven and economical.
There are additinal use cases where this technology will be useful. Food is a huge one: abnormal amounts of pesticides in fruits and vegtables, rotten eggs, etc. How about inconsistent or out-of-date prescription medicine, or unregulated vitamins?
i'm 72 which gives me a long list of conditions that can benefit from advanced sensors in an iPhone or Apple Watch.
While sensors for pulseox or glucose is needed I believe that sensors for chemical levels that can help determine the needed medications. Ewe see the start of that now where generic testing can help determine the best treatment. Expand that to a wide range of conditions and you have an explosive potential of a market.
I was thinking this could be embedded in an iPhone.