Abstract: An analyte detection system is provided with calibration information uniquely specific to the set of test strips to which the sample is to be applied. The calibration information may be stored in permanent memory of the testing device, such that the device is discarded after use of all the test strips in a kit, or it may be stored in a calibration chip accompanying the set of test strips and distributed therewith, thereby enabling re-use of the testing device with a different set of test strips and associated calibration chip.

Abstract: This involves non-invasive glucose measurement processes for determining blood glucose level in the human body. After achieving a static level of glucose at a surface of the skin over some period of time, the glucose may then be measured by a variety of different processes. A sample of the glucose may also first be extracted from the skin and this sample may then be measured. Clearly, these processes are especially suitable for monitoring glucose levels in the human body, and is especially beneficial to users having diabetes mellitus. These procedures may be used for other analyte materials that are found in appropriate regions of the outer skin.

Abstract: Body fluid is sampled from a skin incision by placing a ring against the skin and repeatedly applying an elastic pressing force to the ring, whereby a stimulator surface of the ring depresses a ring of skin and body tissue in surrounding relationship to the incision to force body fluid from the incision. The stimulator surface is inclined at an angle of 10 to 65 degrees; a width of the stimulator surface is from 5 mm to 20 mm, and an inner diameter of the stimulator surface is no less than 6.0 mm.

Abstract: A bodily fluid sampling device includes a piercing device and a sensor enclosed in a housing. A cassette, which contains test media, is positioned proximal to the sensor so that the sensor is able to analyze a bodily fluid sample collected on the test media. The cassette includes a supply portion from which unused test media is supplied and a storage portion in which contaminated test media is stored after exposure to the bodily fluid. The cassette is adapted to collect a series of bodily fluid samples without requiring disposal of the test media.

Abstract: A device for sampling body fluid includes a housing having a sleeve at a forward end thereof which is displaceable in response to being pressed against a user's skin to trigger the firing of a lancet. After the lancet is removed from the incision, the sleeve is repeatedly pressed against the skin to depress a ring of body tissue in surrounding relationship to the incision to express body fluid outwardly through the incision. A pusher member is then actuated to push a capillary tube through a front end of the housing for drawing-in body fluid. The lancet is a disposable lancet which includes a body supporting a skin-lancing member and the capillary tube. The disposable lancet passes through an upper end of a lancet carrier when being installed or removed. The device cannot be armed until the disposable lancet is installed in the housing, because the capillary tube functions to push a safety device to a non-safety position.

Abstract: A sampling device for sampling body fluid includes a casing which is pressed against a skin surface to produce a seal therewith. A cocking mechanism is pulled rearwardly to place a lancing device in a cocked state. By releasing a trigger, the lancing device is driven forward to produce an incision in the skin, and then is retracted out of the incision. A plunger mounted on the cocking mechanism is then retracted to generate a negative pressure at the front end of the casing to draw body fluid from the incision.

Abstract: This involves a non-invasive glucose measurement device and a process for determining blood glucose level in the human body using the device. In typical operation, the glucose measurement device is self-normalizing in that it does not employ an independent reference sample in its operation. The device uses attenuated total reflection (ATR) infrared spectroscopy. Preferably, the device is used on a fingertip and compares two specific regions of a measured infrared spectrum to determine the blood glucose level of the user. Clearly, this device is especially suitable for monitoring glucose levels in the human body, and is especially beneficial to users having diabetes mellitus. The device and procedure may be used for other analyte materials which exhibit unique mid-IR signatures of the type described herein and that are found in appropriate regions of the outer skin.

Abstract: Body fluid is sampled from a skin incision by placing a ring against the skin and repeatedly applying an elastic pressing force to the ring, whereby a stimulator surface of the ring depresses a ring of skin and body tissue in surrounding relationship to the incision to force body fluid from the incision. The stimulator surface is inclined at an angle of 10 to 65 degrees; a width of the stimulator surface is from 5 mm to 20 mm, and an inner diameter of the stimulator surface is no less than 6.0 mm.

Abstract: This involves a non-invasive glucose measurement device and a process for determining blood glucose level in the human body using the device. In typical operation, the glucose measurement device is self-normalizing in that it does not employ an independent reference sample in its operation. The device uses attenuated total reflection (ATR) infrared spectroscopy. Preferably, the device is used on a fingertip and compares two specific regions of a measured infrared spectrum to determine the blood glucose level of the user. Clearly, this device is especially suitable for monitoring glucose levels in the human body, and is especially beneficial to users having diabetes mellitus. The device and procedure may be used for other analyte materials which exhibit unique mid-IR signatures of the type described herein and that are found in appropriate regions of the outer skin.

Abstract: A sampling device for sampling body fluid includes a casing which is pressed against a skin surface to produce a seal therewith. A cocking mechanism is pulled rearwardly to place a lancing device in a cocked state. By releasing a trigger, the lancing device is driven forward to produce an incision in the skin, and then is retracted out of the incision. A plunger mounted on the cocking mechanism is then retracted to generate a negative pressure at the front end of the casing to draw body fluid from the incision.

Abstract: This involves a non-invasive glucose measurement device and a process for determining blood glucose level in the human body using the device. In typical operation, the glucose measurement device is self-normalizing in that it does not employ an independent reference sample in its operation. The device uses attenuated total reflection (ATR) infrared spectroscopy. Preferably, the device is used on a fingertip and compares two specific regions of a measured infrared spectrum to determine the blood glucose level of the user. Clearly, this device is especially suitable for monitoring glucose levels in the human body, and is especially beneficial to users having diabetes mellitus. The device and procedure may be used for other analyte materials which exhibit unique mid-IR signatures of the type described herein and that are found in appropriate regions of the outer skin.

Abstract: This involves a non-invasive glucose measurement device and a process for determining blood glucose level in the human body using the device. In typical operation, the glucose measurement device is self-normalizing in that it does not employ an independent reference sample in its operation. The device uses attenuated total reflection (ATR) infrared spectroscopy. Preferably, the device is used on a fingertip and compares two specific regions of a measured infrared spectrum to determine the blood glucose level of the user. Clearly, this device is especially suitable for monitoring glucose levels in the human body, and is especially beneficial to users having diabetes mellitus. The device and procedure may be used for other analyte materials which exhibit unique mid-IR signatures of the type described herein and that are found in appropriate regions of the outer skin.

Abstract: This involves a non-invasive glucose measurement device and a process for determining blood glucose level in the human body using the device. In typical operation, the glucose measurement device is self-normalizing in that it does not employ an independent reference sample in its operation. The device uses attenuated total reflection (ATR) infrared spectroscopy. Preferably, the device is used on a fingertip and compares two specific regions of a measured infrared spectrum to determine the blood glucose level of the user. Clearly, this device is especially suitable for monitoring glucose levels in the human body, and is especially beneficial to users having diabetes mellitus. The device and procedure may be used for other analyte materials which exhibit unique mid-IR signatures of the type described herein and that are found in appropriate regions of the outer skin.

Abstract: This involves a non-invasive glucose measurement device and a process for determining blood glucose level in the human body using the device. In typical operation, the glucose measurement device is self-normalizing in that it does not employ an independent reference sample in its operation. The device uses attenuated total reflection (ATR) infrared spectroscopy. Preferably, the device is used on a fingertip and compares two specific regions of a measured infrared spectrum to determine the blood glucose level of the user. Clearly, this device is especially suitable for monitoring glucose levels in the human body, and is especially beneficial to users having diabetes mellitus. The device and procedure may be used for other analyte materials which exhibit unique mid-IR signatures of the type described herein and that are found in appropriate regions of the outer skin.

Abstract: Surface-enhanced spectroscopy for quantitative analysis of analytes in biological liquid samples. A device for testing a biological liquid sample for the presence or concentration of an analyte includes: (a) a substrate defining a surface which has electrically conductive particles disposed thereon, wherein the surface is adapted to accommodate the liquid sample; (b) means for generating radiation and directing the radiation to be incident on said surface of the substrate so that radiation is emitted from the electrically conductive particles; and (c) means for detecting the emitted radiation. In another embodiment a matrix having electrically conductive particles that are incorporated in the matrix or that are disposed on a surface thereof, wherein the matrix is permeable to the liquid biological sample is used in place of the substrate. The device is particularly suited for determining glucose in human whole blood.

Abstract: This involves a non-invasive glucose measurement device and a process for determining blood glucose level in the human body using the device. In typical operation, the glucose measurement device is self-normalizing in that it does not employ an independent reference sample in its operation. The device uses attenuated total reflection (ATR) infrared spectroscopy. Preferably, the device is used on a fingertip and compares two specific regions of a measured infrared spectrum to determine the blood glucose level of the user. Clearly, this device is especially suitable for monitoring glucose levels in the human body, and is especially beneficial to users having diabetes mellitus. The device and procedure may be used for other analyte materials which exhibit unique mid-IR signatures of the type described herein and that are found in appropriate regions of the outer skin.

Abstract: A device and method for lancing a patient, virtually simultaneously producing and collecting a small fluid sample from a body. The device comprises a blood collection system including a lancing needle (16), drive mechanism (11), kneading or vibration mechanism (25), optional suction system (7), and sample ejection mechanism. The device is preferably sized to be hand-held in one hand and operable with one hand. The device can optionally contain integral testing or analysis component (83) for receiving the sample and providing testing or analysis indication or readout for the user. A method involves piercing the skin at a rapid rate, kneading the surrounding area by ultrasonic action, piezoelectric or mechanical oscillation to stimulate the blood flow from the wound, drawing the fluid using a pumping system.

Abstract: A multi-use assay system accurately docks a removable test strip supporting a reagent-analyte reaction with an optics system including an LED, photodetector, and lenses or light pipes for directing light to and from the test strip. Docking is achieved using alignment fixturing, whereby an optics block holder is relied upon to align the test strip and test pad with the various optical components. Signals from the photodetector indicative of test strip reaction progress are provided to a processor for measuring the analyte.

Abstract: This involves a non-invasive glucose measurement device and a process for determining blood glucose level in the human body using the device. In typical operation, the glucose measurement device is self-normalizing in that it does not employ an independent reference sample in its operation. The device uses attenuated total reflection (ATR) infrared spectroscopy. Preferably, the device is used on a fingertip and compares two specific regions of a measured infrared spectrum to determine the blood glucose level of the user. Clearly, this device is especially suitable for monitoring glucose levels in the human body, and is especially beneficial to users having diabetes mellitus. The device and procedure may be used for other analyte materials which exhibit unique mid-IR signatures of the type described herein and that are found in appropriate regions of the outer skin.

Abstract: A sampling device for sampling body fluid includes a lancet for making an incision, a capillary tube for drawing-up body fluid from the incision, and a test strip affixed to an upper end of the capillary tube for receiving the fluid. An absorbent pad can be disposed between the test strip and capillary tube for spreading-out the fluid being transferred to the test strip. An on-site analyzer such as an optical analyzer and/or an electrochemical analyzer can be mounted in the device for analyzing the fluid. Alternatively, a test strip can be slid through a slot formed in the bottom end of the device so that by passing the device against the skin after an incision has been formed, the test strip will directly contact body fluid emanating from the incision.