Digital diabetes assistant uses AI to predict Hypoglycemia

AI to predict Hypoglycemia

Digital diabetes assistant uses AI to predict Hypoglycemia

Sugar.IQ app, made by Medtronic and IBM Watson, can now predict the risk of low blood sugar level using Artificial Intelligence.

The Sugar.IQ app has got a new, innovative feature that can predict low blood sugar levels a few hours before they can happen. The digital diabetes assistant app is supported by IBM Watson and Medtronic jointly and is made for the Guardian Connect system.

The new predictive feature is called IQcast and is AI-based. This means that the app will use artificial intelligence analytics to predict the blood sugar levels of the user. It can tell the user when they have a high, medium, or low chance of drops in the blood glucose level within the next four hours. The predictions are made based on the data collected through the Guardian Connect device and the Sugar.IQ app.

According to the Senior Director of Medtronic’s Medical & Clinical Affairs for Diabetes Group, the new IQcast feature is like a weather forecast for diabetic people and can help them plan their day.

The new AI-based prediction feature can offer insights to patients and helps them take their daily injections properly, thus offering better health.

The officials have stated that the app analyses all the signals and metrics together to check for patterns and assess the chances of blood sugar drops. The updated version of the app, which is cleared by the FDA, is now available on iOS.

The decrease in blood sugar levels is known as Hypoglycaemia and can cause lethargy, light-headedness, seizures, vision impairment, etc. IQcast can help prepare patients against a potential episode of Hypoglycemia and can also help them understand the health impact of their daily habits. According to IBM, a Type 1 diabetes patient can face up to 180 decisions per day, on average, for managing their blood sugar levels. So, the new feature is definitely of great help.

Sugar.IQ is meant for diabetics who take multiple injections every day and depend upon the Medtronic Guardian Connect system. The app offers personalized alerts along with motivational insights, a data tracker, glycemic insights, glycemic assistant, and a smart food-tracking feature. Now that the new IQcast feature is available, risks of hypoglycemia will go down significantly.


Apart from Sugar.IQ makers, many other digital health companies have flooded the market with their own diabetes management apps. The Coutour Diabetes app developed by Ascensia Diabetes was updated earlier this year and is somewhat similar to Sugar.IQ in terms of customized analytics and feedbacks. Similarly, Bluestar by WellDoc has been launched for Samsung mobile devices.

About IBM Watson and Medtronic

IBM Watson and Medtronic had first announced Sugar.IQ in 2016 and the app has been quite successful since then. The collaboration between the two companies is expected to lead to a bigger wellness technology update at the CES 2019.

IBM did highlight last month how health and disease monitoring was being improved by them by joining fingernail sensors with AI. Meanwhile, Medtronic is joining hands with tech companies like Fitbit, Apple, etc. in order to gather more analytics.

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