Potentiostat-Based Analogue Circuit for Wearable Glucose Sensors
A Low-Power Circuit Design For Continuous Sensing Applications
C.N. Guijt (TU Delft - Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science)
J.J. van Ham (TU Delft - Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science)
F. Arroyo Cardoso – Mentor (TU Delft - Electronic Instrumentation)
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Abstract
The global prevalence of diabetes mellitus is rising rapidly, increasing the demand for reliable and accessible care. Current glucose monitoring solutions are often expensive, invasive, and uncomfortable, limiting their accessibility, especially in middle and low-income countries. This thesis presents the design of a compact, low-power, and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system with Bluetooth and separate electronics and sensor. The design integrates a potentiostat with a custom analogue pre-processing circuit, implemented on a printed circuit board (PCB).
The system supports Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication for low-power wireless data transmission and is powered by a dual-coin-cell battery system designed for two weeks of operation. Furthermore, emphasis is placed on noise minimization and analogue-domain preprocessing to reduce power consumption, reduce measurement latency, and improve measurement accuracy. This was done with a trans-impedance amplifier, a non-inverting amplifier, and an integrator for signal conditioning.
A classical potentiostat architecture was selected over more complex ASIC-based approaches for feasibility within the scope of the thesis.
Prototypes were tested using gold electrodes and phosphate-buffered saline with known analyte concentrations. Even though there were limitations barring full-system validation, the design demonstrates at least partial functioning and serves as a foundation for future refinement and integration. This work intends to contribute to the development of accessible CGM devices that balance clinical accuracy with real-world usability.