A placement guide apparatus with an improved hydration inducing plug used
in coupling a noninvasive analyzer to a sampling site to determine
analyte in the human body is disclosed. The hydration inducing plug
includes at least one fluoropolymer that may be used as a coupling agent.
The guide apparatus may further include an automated or semi-automated
coupling fluid delivery system. Use of either of these couplers mitigates
issues associated with related technology and enhances noninvasive
analyte measurements, such as a near-IR diffuse reflectance based
noninvasive glucose concentration analyzer.