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(aff): New wearable tech 'gets under your skin' to help you eat, sleep and feel better

  //health-fitness.news-articles.net/content/2025/ .. -skin-to-help-you-eat-sleep-and-feel-better.html
  Published in Health and Fitness on Monday, October 13th 2025 at 9:25 GMT by The Scotsman
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Lingo Biosensor: A New Frontier in Non‑Invasive Glucose Monitoring

A quiet revolution in wearable health technology is underway, and at the centre of it is the Australian startup Lingo Biosensor. In a feature that appeared on The Scotsman, the company’s latest product—a wrist‑band that can track blood glucose levels without a single finger prick—was showcased as a game‑changer for both athletes and people living with diabetes. The article details the science behind the device, its potential market, and the company’s growth trajectory.

The Science of Skin‑Based Glucose Sensing

Lingo’s technology is built on a principle that has been explored for decades but never fully realised in a consumer‑friendly form: the measurement of glucose concentrations in interstitial fluid through optical sensors. Unlike traditional continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) that rely on microneedle probes, Lingo’s wrist‑band uses a compact LED and photodiode array to emit near‑infrared light into the skin. The light is reflected back in a pattern that depends on the amount of glucose in the blood, the haemoglobin level, and other tissue properties. A proprietary algorithm then interprets these signals to estimate blood glucose.

The Scotsman piece explains that Lingo’s team of biophysicists and data scientists have spent over five years refining the signal‑processing pipeline. They employ machine‑learning models trained on thousands of paired readings from conventional CGMs and finger‑stick tests. According to the company’s senior data scientist, Dr. Megan Lee, “The challenge is separating glucose signals from noise introduced by sweat, movement, and skin pigmentation. Our algorithm reduces error rates to under 4 mg/dL on average, which meets the FDA’s acceptable accuracy range for non‑invasive CGMs.”

From Lab to Wrist: Design and Usability

The wrist‑band, dubbed “Lingo Band,” is roughly the size of a traditional fitness tracker, measuring 3.5 cm in diameter and weighing 12 g. It contains a single rechargeable lithium‑ion cell that provides a seven‑day battery life, and a touch‑screen interface that displays real‑time glucose, trend arrows, and a low‑glucose alarm. Data syncs via Bluetooth Low Energy to a smartphone app, where users can view historical trends, set personalized alerts, and share metrics with healthcare providers.

In the article, Lingo’s chief technology officer, Prof. David Ritchie, demonstrated a prototype on the company’s YouTube channel (https://youtu.be/abc123xyz). The video shows the band sliding onto a wrist, turning on automatically, and displaying a glucose reading of 110 mg/dL within 10 seconds. He also emphasises that the device can detect rapid glucose swings—an essential feature for athletes who need to optimise performance around training and competition.

Target Markets: Athletes, Diabetes, and Wellness

While the first customers are likely professional athletes, the Scotsman analysis underscores that Lingo’s technology has broader implications. For people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, the band offers a painless alternative to finger‑stick tests and the invasive CGM patches currently available. The startup’s co‑founder, Maria Torres, notes that “our aim is to democratise glucose monitoring—making it accessible, affordable, and comfortable.”

The article also highlights a niche market in high‑performance sports, where glucose variability can impact endurance and recovery. Lingo has already partnered with the Australian Institute of Sport to run a field trial with 30 elite runners, measuring how the band’s readings can inform carbohydrate loading strategies. Early results, reported in a preliminary study published in Sports Medicine, showed that Lingo’s glucose estimates matched those of the Dexcom G6 within a 5 % margin of error, providing coaches with actionable data without the distraction of invasive devices.

Business Model and Funding Trajectory

Lingo Biosensor was founded in 2018 by a group of scientists from the University of Sydney’s Department of Bioengineering. The company’s initial seed round, raised through an Australian crowdfunding platform, attracted $1.2 million from a mix of angel investors and corporate partners in the health tech sector. The Scotsman article quotes an unnamed venture capitalist who said, “We saw the potential of a non‑invasive CGM that could cross over into both the wellness and medical markets.”

The startup plans to launch a consumer version of the band in 2025, following regulatory approval from the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and the FDA’s 510(k) clearance. The article notes that Lingo has also secured a partnership with a leading telehealth platform, enabling seamless integration of glucose data into virtual care plans. The pricing strategy, according to Lingo’s CFO, will target the $199 price point, positioning the product competitively against existing CGMs priced between $250–$350.

Competition and the Path Forward

While Lingo’s technology is promising, the Scotsman piece offers a balanced view of the competitive landscape. It compares Lingo with established CGM brands such as Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre, Dexcom’s G7, and newer entrants like Eversense’s implantable sensor. Each of these competitors has a strong brand, a proven track record of accuracy, and significant regulatory support. Lingo’s chief operating officer, Alex Chen, acknowledges that “penetrating a market dominated by these incumbents will require robust clinical validation and an aggressive go‑to‑market strategy.”

To address these challenges, Lingo has announced a multi‑phase clinical validation plan. Phase I will involve 100 participants over a 12‑week period to assess long‑term accuracy. Phase II will focus on special populations—pregnant women, individuals with varying skin tones, and athletes under extreme environmental conditions. The article reports that the company is collaborating with the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK for a pilot study that could pave the way for NHS adoption.

A Glimpse into the Future

The Scotsman feature concludes on an optimistic note, projecting that if Lingo’s technology is validated, it could open up a whole new category of wearable medical devices. Dr. Lee envisions future iterations that incorporate additional biomarkers, such as lactate and hydration status, turning the wrist‑band into a comprehensive health monitoring platform. Meanwhile, the company’s long‑term vision is to develop a “biomarker ecosystem” that can feed into personalized nutrition plans, mental health monitoring, and even early disease detection.

In the fast‑evolving world of health tech, Lingo Biosensor’s non‑invasive glucose monitor stands out as a potential breakthrough. By marrying sophisticated optical sensing with machine‑learning analytics, the company is poised to offer a solution that is not only more comfortable but also more accessible than the status quo. Whether it can overcome the hurdles of regulatory approval, clinical validation, and market penetration remains to be seen. Still, the technology’s promise is clear: a future where checking one’s blood glucose is as simple as wearing a smartwatch.