Feds Fund AI Wearable That Smells Diabetes

The National Science Foundation is funding a team of universities and companies to develop 'Edge AI'—artificial intelligence that runs directly on your device. Their first big test is building a smart wearable that can predict the onset of diabetes simply by analyzing a person's breath, no cloud connection or doctor required.

Most AI today sends your data to massive remote servers for processing. This is slow, eats up data, and creates major privacy concerns, especially for health info. This project aims to cut the cord by developing tiny, ultra-low-power computer chips and sensors that can do the thinking right on the device itself, keeping your personal data in your hands.

If this works, it could mean a cheaper, painless way for millions to monitor their health and catch diabetes early. It's also a strategic investment to keep the U.S. competitive in next-generation AI and to train a new high-tech workforce in states like Alabama, Arkansas, and North Dakota.