Kits consist of an electronic monitor which measures blood-sugar via inserted one-time-use \"strips\" and a \"fingerstick\" device which fires a sharp needle marginally through the empidermis of the finger in order to allow a small amount of blood to be squeezed onto the strip in the monitor. In its advertisements, Roche claims this avoids \"painful re-sticking\" and that 90% of patients in its tests found it less painful.