UCSD smart ring for biochemical monitoring

Engineers at the University of California, San Diego have developed a fully integrated smart ring prototype that continuously monitors up to four chemical biomarkers from finger sweat, including glucose, ketones, vitamin C, uric acid, lactate, and alcohol. The ring uses an osmotic hydrogel to passively draw sweat and an electrochemical sensor array for analysis, with data sent wirelessly to a smartphone app. In trials with healthy volunteers and people with type 1 diabetes, glucose readings closely matched commercial continuous glucose monitors, and ketone readings matched commercial blood meters. The ring is powered by a flexible zinc-silver oxide battery lasting up to 12 hours. The research was published in Tata Communications on July 23, 2026, and supported by the UC San Diego Center of Wearable Sensors and the United States — National Science Foundation.