Qatar University has developed a smart wearable device that estimates blood glucose levels without finger pricks or blood samples, using artificial intelligence to analyse physiological signals.
The device, GlucoWatch, targets a condition that affects a substantial share of the adult population in Qatar — the Ministry of Public Health puts diabetes prevalence at 18.1%, while the International Diabetes Federation's 2024 estimate is higher.
A US patent application for the innovation has been published under the number US20240138776A, and the project won a gold medal at the International Invention Fair of the Middle East, held in Kuwait in 2023.
It was developed by a team led by Qatar University researcher and inventor Dr Khalid Abu al-Saud, with contributions from computer engineering students Nora al-Bardini, Mazoon al-Shahwani, Fatima al-Kaabi and Sara al-Muhannadi.
Speaking to QNA, Abu al-Saud said GlucoWatch is an intelligent medical system that uses AI to estimate glucose levels by analysing physiological indicators, including heart rate signals, blood pressure readings and selected demographic data.
He said the technology could provide a promising alternative to conventional glucose monitoring methods that require repeated finger pricks, allowing users to track their readings through a connected mobile application.
The system is designed to support diabetes management by providing regular glucose estimates, issuing alerts when levels fall outside medically approved ranges, and allowing users to share health data with family members or healthcare providers while maintaining privacy safeguards.
The research team said the device could eventually support remote healthcare services and integration with digital health platforms.
Abu al-Saud explained that the project began as a graduation project by computer engineering students before evolving into a specialised research initiative. Development stages included designing the prototype, creating the AI algorithms, building the companion mobile application and conducting initial validation tests against reference measurements.
The researcher highlighted the key role played by the student team throughout the project, from identifying the problem and designing the system to processing data, developing AI models, building the prototype and carrying out initial testing.
The team is now working on further development and wider validation, including expanding the database, improving the AI models and creating an advanced version of the wearable device.
Future plans also include partnerships with healthcare and industrial organisations to transform the technology into a market-ready product, while ensuring it can be provided at an affordable cost.
Abu al-Saud said investment in healthcare research and innovation supports Qatar National Vision 2030, adding that the team aims to complete the required scientific validation and regulatory steps before bringing the technology to patients in Qatar and beyond.
Diabetes continues to pose a significant public-health challenge in Qatar, with recent national and international estimates pointing to a high burden among adults.
The Ministry of Public Health, citing the 2023 WHO STEPwise survey, put diabetes prevalence at 18.1%, alongside an obesity rate of 33.4%. PHCC data earlier identified 126,983 adults with Type 2 diabetes among its registered population in 2021, representing 11.4%, with the rate among Qataris considerably higher at 19.2%.
The International Diabetes Federation offers a higher estimate. Its 2024 figures suggest that 409,300 adults aged 20-79 in Qatar were living with diabetes, with an age-adjusted prevalence of 24.6%.
The variation does not necessarily indicate conflicting evidence. Prevalence estimates can differ because surveys, clinical records and international models cover different populations, age groups and undiagnosed cases.
Prevalence describes the proportion of people already living with diabetes; incidence measures only new cases arising during a specified period. Qatar has more comprehensive prevalence data than directly recorded national incidence figures.
A peer-reviewed modelling study led by Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar researchers estimated about 25,000 new Type 2 diabetes cases in 2021.
