Socially-aware students at United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) are developing a portable innovation designed to prevent diabetes sufferers from losing track of their glucose levels.

The six-strong team of entrepreneurs, whose studies cover a range of areas but who have a common dedication to improve lives through technology, are incubating their ideas for the IDiaBeat glucose meter at UAEU’s Science and Innovation Park (SIP).

They launched the project after conducting studies that revealed a common issue for diabetics, which is forgetting equipment that allows them to monitor their glucose levels when they are away from home, or leaving it behind because of the inconvenience of carrying numerous devices. 

IDiaBeat is being designed in the form of a smartphone case, making it easier to carry and allowing diabetics to better manage their condition and keep a regular – and vital – check on their glucose wherever they are. Moreover, the device will be connected with an app that keeps track of their sugar levels and monitors other aspects of health, such as number of steps taken.

“We are a team of young entrepreneurs from different backgrounds – science, engineering, and business – with a strong and common willingness to become more actively involved in our society by developing an inspired, socially-responsible, and innovative, project,” said team member Aysha Al-Memari, a 21-year-old finance and banking student at UAEU.

“That is why we have proposed a new solution that can make everyday life easier for people with diabetes, with the high diabetes rate in the UAE inspiring us to come up with this innovative design for a glucose meter.”

As well as Al-Memari, the team also consists of marketing student Latifa Al-Ameri, 21; Raneen Herzalla, a 21-year-old data scientist; Maryam AlSadat, 21, who is studying electrical engineering; 19-year-old Alyazia Al-Ameri, a supply chain management student; and 23-year-old Mohammed Muneer Lajam, team leader and whose area of study is mechanical engineering.

“Smartphones are an important element of life today, and we felt that having a glucose meter designed in the form of a phone case would make the process of keeping up with blood sugar levels easier for diabetics, as these levels are unstable and can change dramatically,” said Al-Memari.

“We are currently progressing this innovation with the support of the incubator within SIP, with the aim of turning the IDiaBeat project into a startup that has the potential to benefit diabetics worldwide. We believe it can reduce the struggles that diabetics have to deal with on a daily basis.”