On January 16, 2014, Google announced that, for the past 18 months,[6] they had been working on a contact lens that could help people with diabetes by making it continually check their glucose levels.
[5] Google noted in their official announcement that scientists have long looked into how certain body fluids can help track glucose levels easier, but as tears are hard to collect and study, using them was never really an option.
They also mentioned that the project is currently being discussed with the FDA while still noting that there is a lot more work left to do before the product can be released for general usage, which is said to happen in five years at best,[6] and that they are looking for partners who would use the technology for the lens by developing apps that would make the measurements available to the wearers and their respective doctors.
[4] On July 15, 2014, Google announced a partnership with Novartis' Alcon unit to develop the glucose-sensing smart contact lens.
[3] Endocrinologist Dr. Larry Levin commented the benefits of being able to offer his patients a pain-free alternative to either pricking their fingers or using a continuous glucose monitor.