Diabetes is controllable, but for those who have it, the illness can be a source of constant disruption. Several times a day, people with type I diabetes have to test their blood sugar level by pricking their fingers. It’s a painful, time-consuming task. And it could become a thing of the past.

Scientists at MIT have developed a new type of glucose monitor that is potentially more accurate than the current test: a tattoo made from glucose-detecting nanoparticles injected under the skin.

According to the researchers, the glucose sensor works quite differently to existing methods. Carbon nanotubes are wrapped in a polymer that is sensitive to glucose concentrations. If the sensor detects glucose, the nanotubes fluoresce. This can be detected by shining near-infrared light on them, and the amount of fluorescence reveals the concentration of glucose in the blood.

The plan is to suspend these nanoparticles in a saline solution to create an ‘ink’. This would be injected under the skin, forming a tattoo. But these tattoos will be less long-term than their traditional counterparts. After a certain length of time, probably six months, the monitoring tattoo would need to be refreshed.

Patients would also wear a monitoring device that displays their current glucose level. A major advantage of the super-tattoo is that, unlike other fluorescent molecules, carbon nanotubes are not destroyed by exposure to light. Paul Barone, a postdoctoral researcher in MIT’s Department of Chemical Engineering, says: “You can shine the light as long as you want, and the intensity won’t change. Because of this, the sensor can give continuous readings.”

The technology is still a few years from completion, but it could be a great way for diabetes sufferers to minimise disruption in their lives - and make a statement at the same time.