Millions of diabetics around the world can look forward to a painless finger prick-free sensor for blood sugar after scientists at the University of California in San Diego unveiled a device that works without a needle.

The flexible, ultra-thin gadget attaches to skin like a rub-on tattoo and can give out readings of a diabetic's glucose levels. The sensor was described in a UC San Diego study in analytical chemistry.

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The scientists made the device wearable and non-irritating and could sense glucose in the blood beneath the skin based on electrochemical biosensing and integrating glucose extraction.

It accurately tested glucose levels based on initial tests performed on seven healthy volunteers. The researchers said the device could indeed be potentially used for managing diabetes and other kidney-related illnesses.

The San Diego scientists said hundreds of millions of people around the globe are dealing with diabetes. Many of them are strapped to portable monitors that test their blood glucose levels to manage their condition. But the usual way of testing for glucose relies on a finger prick to draw blood for testing.

The pain from the pricks can discourage people from checking their glucose level regularly. A blood sugar sensing wristband had been prescribed to some patients, but it was taken out of the market because it caused skin irritation. The San Diego researchers wanted to find a better approach.

The Mayo Clinic says diabetes mellitus includes several diseases that affect how one's body uses glucose or blood sugar. Glucose is the main energy source for cells in muscles, tissues and the brain. But too much blood sugar can cause serious health problems.

Suffering from diabetes, no matter what type, means having too much glucose in the blood, although its origins may differ.  Chronic conditions of the disease include type 1 and type 2 diabetes.  

TagsDiabetes, Glucose level tests, Blood sugar level, Analytical Chemistry, Joseph Wang, Tattoo-based glucose monitor