Comments on: The Smart Insulin Pen by John Walsh http://challengediabetes.diabetech.net/2008/05/14/the-smart-insulin-pen-by-john-walsh/ Thoughts about current approaches to managing diabetes Thu, 04 Dec 2008 03:47:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Kevin http://challengediabetes.diabetech.net/2008/05/14/the-smart-insulin-pen-by-john-walsh/#comment-18843 Kevin Wed, 14 May 2008 19:25:42 +0000 http://challengediabetes.diabetech.net/2008/05/14/the-smart-insulin-pen-by-john-walsh/#comment-18843 This thread got me to thinking about some of the earliest work we did at Diabetech back in 2002. There were several targeted NIH grant programs then and we submitted a few proposals in collaboration with Texas A&M University's computer science department with guidance from endocrinologists, diabetes educators and patients only to learn that there are definitely unwritten rules of the game when it comes to winning federal grants (and that goes for private grants as well) not to mention the various strings attached... but that is a different blog entry. One of those applications was for financial support of a design we call the Remote Control Artificial Pancreas or RCAP for short. This was preceded by a modeling and simulation phase we call p-RCAP with the p standing for precursor. Essentially, this design integrates a system of body sensors (glucose, blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, etc...), along with ambient sensors (air temperature, location, etc...) and drug infusion devices plus a handheld device (eg PDA) along with an automated remote wireless transmission capability to a large data center for the serious number crunching and historical analysis of the data. Ulitmately, the software is used to assist the person in taking various actions to increase the time spent in the normal glycemic range; aka an artificial pancreas but with this design being several leaps beyond the focus of JDRF and other similar efforts of its day. My point being, there is no shortage of great ideas. Not just ours but from thousands of academics, inventors, engineer-diabetics, etc... The only shortage is money to develop new gear that includes the feature set that comes with a guaranteed base of customers. This thread got me to thinking about some of the earliest work we did at Diabetech back in 2002. There were several targeted NIH grant programs then and we submitted a few proposals in collaboration with Texas A&M University’s computer science department with guidance from endocrinologists, diabetes educators and patients only to learn that there are definitely unwritten rules of the game when it comes to winning federal grants (and that goes for private grants as well) not to mention the various strings attached… but that is a different blog entry.

One of those applications was for financial support of a design we call the Remote Control Artificial Pancreas or RCAP for short. This was preceded by a modeling and simulation phase we call p-RCAP with the p standing for precursor.

Essentially, this design integrates a system of body sensors (glucose, blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, etc…), along with ambient sensors (air temperature, location, etc…) and drug infusion devices plus a handheld device (eg PDA) along with an automated remote wireless transmission capability to a large data center for the serious number crunching and historical analysis of the data. Ulitmately, the software is used to assist the person in taking various actions to increase the time spent in the normal glycemic range; aka an artificial pancreas but with this design being several leaps beyond the focus of JDRF and other similar efforts of its day.

My point being, there is no shortage of great ideas. Not just ours but from thousands of academics, inventors, engineer-diabetics, etc… The only shortage is money to develop new gear that includes the feature set that comes with a guaranteed base of customers.

]]> By: Kevin http://challengediabetes.diabetech.net/2008/05/14/the-smart-insulin-pen-by-john-walsh/#comment-18834 Kevin Wed, 14 May 2008 15:37:28 +0000 http://challengediabetes.diabetech.net/2008/05/14/the-smart-insulin-pen-by-john-walsh/#comment-18834 I like the idea of creating a collective of the enhancements to the Walsh concept. In fact, this could be an ongoing thing which evolves over time with comments back from all those concerned as to their opinions and an ability to 'vote' on features/specs. Of course, this same collective will probably have to be the ones to finance the development of such a device as demonstrated by the lack of interest thus far by big companies and the investor community to date. How about a wiki that allows anyone to share their idea? I just created one specifically for enhancing the Smart Insulin Pen at <a href="http://cgmscentral.com/node/113" rel="nofollow">CGMSCENTRAL.COM</a>, an open community on the web. You can continue to enhance this concept or start your own wiki page for a completely new idea. <strong>I wonder how many people would be willing to put their money where their mind is?</strong> I like the idea of creating a collective of the enhancements to the Walsh concept. In fact, this could be an ongoing thing which evolves over time with comments back from all those concerned as to their opinions and an ability to ‘vote’ on features/specs. Of course, this same collective will probably have to be the ones to finance the development of such a device as demonstrated by the lack of interest thus far by big companies and the investor community to date.

How about a wiki that allows anyone to share their idea? I just created one specifically for enhancing the Smart Insulin Pen at CGMSCENTRAL.COM, an open community on the web. You can continue to enhance this concept or start your own wiki page for a completely new idea.

I wonder how many people would be willing to put their money where their mind is?

]]> By: Scott http://challengediabetes.diabetech.net/2008/05/14/the-smart-insulin-pen-by-john-walsh/#comment-18828 Scott Wed, 14 May 2008 14:07:20 +0000 http://challengediabetes.diabetech.net/2008/05/14/the-smart-insulin-pen-by-john-walsh/#comment-18828 I agree; I saw this suggestion a few years ago and lamented that the closest we've gotten is Lilly's Humapen Memoir; and that product is not even threaded enough to dose insulin in 1/2 units! While I do think this design has its merits, some are less practical -- Bluetooth, for example, would require a costly subscription service that may be out of reach for many patients -- but the basic design concept with a built-in database for foods warrants further exploration. Let me also add to the idea: lets consider non-proprietary insulin cartridges, which can be filled with ANY brand and/or type of insulin from the less costly vial formats, thus increasing the likelihood of attaining the broadest possible insurance coverage. Also, I would suggest 2 different several colors for rapid and basal insulin to minimize confusion. Is there any way to gather the suggestions to submit a comprehensive design? I agree; I saw this suggestion a few years ago and lamented that the closest we’ve gotten is Lilly’s Humapen Memoir; and that product is not even threaded enough to dose insulin in 1/2 units! While I do think this design has its merits, some are less practical — Bluetooth, for example, would require a costly subscription service that may be out of reach for many patients — but the basic design concept with a built-in database for foods warrants further exploration.

Let me also add to the idea: lets consider non-proprietary insulin cartridges, which can be filled with ANY brand and/or type of insulin from the less costly vial formats, thus increasing the likelihood of attaining the broadest possible insurance coverage. Also, I would suggest 2 different several colors for rapid and basal insulin to minimize confusion. Is there any way to gather the suggestions to submit a comprehensive design?

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