Who is Kumetrix?
Kumetrix is a research and development company. Kumetrix has combined silicon microtechnology and bioscience to develop a new technology for painless blood analyte monitoring. Kumetrix focuses on research and development, working with corporate partners to commercialize its technology. Our technology will be initially applied to a one-step product for rapid, neat, and painless diabetic blood glucose self-testing.
What is a Silicon Micro-Needle?
The heart of the device is a silicon chip designed to draw blood and perform chemical measurements. The chip consists of a micro-needle about the size of a human hair integrated with a micro-reservoir or cuvette. The micro-needle painlessly penetrates the skin and draws a tiny blood sample.
Reverse Engineering from Nature
The silicon micro-needle was engineered to mimic the painless bite of the mosquito. In the majority of mosquito bites, the target is unaware of being bitten. The bite itself typically causes no pain – irritation, redness, and swelling are caused by enzymes injected afterwards by the mosquito to thin the blood.
How are Silicon Micro-Needles Made?
The process is identical to the manufacturing of computer chips, except that the resultant silicon micro-device performs a mechanical function. Chips that do mechanical work are called microelectromechanical systems or MEMS.