*** 9760522 Smart Kumetrix Inc. will investigate methods of fabricating very fine silicon needles, and other cantilever structures, which have sufficient strength to penetrate skin and similar tough biological tissue. Such microstructures can be used for painless blood sampling if they can be made more robust. They will find many applications in clinical medicine, home health testing and biological research, with major markets including glucose self-testing by diabetics, neonatal blood testing, and screening of large populations for specific blood constituents, such as infectious or toxic agents. ***
