Will Google shape the semi industry ?

[ippisl]

Google has a new partnership with dexcom on better glucose monitors:

Google + Dexcom = High-Tech, Low-Cost Diabetes Devices

Besides from being a great product for diabetics (continuous vs infrequent monitors, and also enabling an artificial pancreas) , it's very relevant to the semi industry:

"The goal of the partnership is to combine Google’s advancements made in miniaturized electronics to create a small, flexible and disposable device that could be thrown away weekly when the sensor needs to be changed." - i.e. smaller, cheaper and probably lower power.

One wonders if this could push semi companies to do better - like often happens when Google starts to compete.

Also i wonder: what can Google do that dexcom cannot do - especially since most of those electronic are probably in something like 250/130nm ?

 

[Daniel Payne]

Google has some pure research work going on, and they presented an interesting talk at DAC this past June in San Francisco about their sensor that fits on the eye for continuous glucose monitoring.

View attachment 15060

 

[ippisl]

Thanks Daniel.

Comparing this to the dexcom teardown:

http://www.medicalelectronicsdesign.com/sites/default/files/image/Figure4-Dexcom.jpg

Shows that:

1. Google integrated everything into the chip , at a small size

2. It probably works with much lower power


I wonder: will it use a battery(most likely given the distance between the sticker and the reciever(in the user's pocket), requiring different wireless system) ? or is there any chance for it to work with rfid and harvested energy , in order to make the cost of the sticker even cheaper (i.e. no battery) ?

 

[Daniel Nenni]

41 Google employees are SemiWiki members and read us on a regular basis...... They are all semiconductor professionals.