Method for glucose sensing

Claim 1

A method measuring the concentration of glucose in a mammalian subject, the method comprising the steps of: contacting a first surface of an ionically conductive material with skin of the mammalian subject; contacting an electrode assembly to a second surface of the ionically conductive material, the assembly comprising: (a) a working electrode; (b) a scavenging electrode; (c) an electrically insulating gap which electrically insulates the scavenging electrode and working electrode; and (d) an electroosmotic electrode; wherein the working electrode and scavenging electrode are in the same plane, the scavenging electrode being positioned such that the scavenging electrode component electrochemically converts chemical compounds that diffuse radially toward the working electrode; providing current to the electroosmnotic electrode in an amount sufficient to electrically draw glucose across the mammalian subject's skin, through the ionically conductive material and to the working electrode; providing a voltage to the scavenging electrode in an amount sufficient to drive electrochemical conversion of glucose diffusing in a radial direction toward the working electrode of the electrode assembly; providing a voltage to the working electrode in an amount sufficient to drive electrochemical conversion of glucose diffusing axially toward the working electrode; measuring the electrical current generated by the electrochemical conversion at the working electrode; and correlating the measured current to a concentration of glucose in the mammalian subject.

Claim 2

A method measuring the concentration of glucose in a mammalian subject, the method comprising the steps of: contacting a first surface of an ionically conductive material with skin of the mammalian subject; contacting an electrode assembly to a second surface of the ionically conductive material, the assembly comprising: (a) a working electrode; (b) a scavenging electrode; (c) an electrically insulating gap which electrically insulates the scavenging electrode and working electrode; and (d) an electroosmotic electrode; wherein the working electrode and scavenging electrode are in the same plane, the scavenging electrode being positioned such that the scavenging electrode component electrochemically converts chemical compounds that diffuse radially toward the working electrode; providing current to the electroosmnotic electrode in an amount sufficient to electrically draw glucose across the mammalian subject's skin, through the ionically conductive material and to the working electrode; providing a voltage to the scavenging electrode in an amount sufficient to drive electrochemical conversion of glucose diffusing in a radial direction toward the working electrode of the electrode assembly; providing a voltage to the working electrode in an amount sufficient to drive electrochemical conversion of glucose diffusing axially toward the working electrode; measuring the electrical current generated by the electrochemical conversion at the working electrode; and correlating the measured current to a concentration of glucose in the mammalian subject.