UMS Innovation Earns Gold Medal for Needle-Free Blood Sugar Check

An innovative idea from Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) students to provide a modern solution for measuring blood sugar levels without finger pricking has caught global attention. Through their invention titled “GluScan: Innovative Ray-Based Non-Invasive Blood Sugar Detection With Real-Time Visualization on Mobile App,” the UMS team introduced a blood sugar detection tool based on infrared light, integrated with a mobile application.

This creation earned the GluScan Team a gold medal at the World Invention Competition and Exhibition (WICE) 2025, held from September 21–25, 2025, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The competition was organized by the Indonesian Young Scientist Association (IYSA) in collaboration with SEGi University and was attended by participants from more than ten countries

The UMS GluScan Team presenting their innovation at WICE 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Personal Documentation.

Consisting of Syaban Al Musyaffaa Ibnu Ahmad as team leader, along with four members, Nandifa Azzahra Salsabila, Dita Nur Aulia Anggraini, Muhammad Mukhorroja Adz Dzaka, and Ammar Miftahudin Anshori, the team focused on non-invasive health technology. By utilizing infrared light, GluScan was designed as a practical solution that delivers real-time detection results directly to the mobile app.

The leader of the GluScan Team, Syaban Al Musyaffaa Ibnu Ahmad, shared that the competition was a deeply memorable experience for him.  “I’m really happy, because we’ve been preparing for this since July, and there were so many challenges and obstacles, seriously, so many troubles along the way,” said Syaban when interviewed on Friday (3/10/2025).

He explained that the blood sugar detection device was designed as a solution for checking blood sugar levels without pricking the finger with a needle.

“Nowadays, many people still rely on invasive methods (finger pricking) to check their blood sugar. Although there are already non-invasive tools, many of them are not yet integrated with mobile applications, so they still operate independently,” Syaban explained.

GluScan operates using infrared light, with the pinky finger serving as the test object. “After the infrared light is emitted onto the finger, it reflects back to a sensor that captures the signal. The sensor then estimates the user’s blood sugar level, sends the data to the microcontroller, and finally transmits it to the mobile app,” Syaban said, explaining how GluScan works.

Before competing at WICE, Syaban shared that he and several members of the GluScan team had already participated in various national and international competitions. The team was formed by students from different study programs, united by a common goal to compete in WICE.

During the final preparation phase in Malaysia, they faced a major challenge when their soldering tool broke, a crucial piece of equipment brought from Indonesia. One of the team members, Dzaka, recalled how they managed to overcome the issue through strong coordination and teamwork.

“The atmosphere was really hectic, and honestly, we were stressed out. We felt all sorts of emotions, panic, confusion, exhaustion. But qadarullah, alhamdulillah, everything was fixed before the presentation, and it went smoothly,” said Dzaka with gratitude.

The team’s supervisor, Muhammad Al Fatih Hendrawan, S.T., M.T., expressed his appreciation for their achievement. He emphasized that the students’ international success was not merely a competition milestone but a reflection of UMS commitment to nurturing globally competitive character and innovation.

“The university fully supports student innovation. I advise them to keep developing themselves, not just to pursue achievements, but to treat these experiences as valuable investments for their future,” Fatih said.

Going forward, the GluScan team plans to further develop the device while also registering it for Intellectual Property Rights protection. This international achievement affirms that the ideas and innovations of UMS students are capable of providing real, practical solutions to challenges in the healthcare field.

Writer: Roselia Puspita Asri

Editor: Fika Annisa Sholihah

Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid