The Smart Insulin Pen

[John Walsh, PA, CDE]

Current insulin pens are more convenient than injections, but they could do so much more. They could be designed like today's smart insulin pumps, and could even be designed to be far more intelligent so they really improve control.

View the entire concept here (http://www.diabetesnet.com/diabetes_technology/smart_pen.php) and leave your comments below.

[leopold]

There is something to use until a pen with some of these options becomes available. There is a program, FREE for the downloading, called "Glucose One". All you need to really make it really convenient is a PDA. There are many great features available to track glucose, generate reports, look up carbs, etc., but the thing that is most helpful to me is the way it keeps track of your insulin "still active." This program is easy to use and I find it the most helpful of the several programs that I have tried to help me to deal with my Type 2 diabetes. If you find it useful you can make a donation to help to advance the program. I just couldn't help but spread the word about something this good. :)

P.S. The web site for "Glucose One" can be found in the Diabetes Mall listing of software to track blood glucose. I found it in a Google search.

[Jelly Bean Queen]

Thanks Leopold for recommending the Glucose One program.

It took me ages to find the Glucose One website but the program was worth the effort. If anyone is looking for it, here it is-
Glucose One (http://www.glucoseone.com/index.html) Click on the link to access the site.

The program can be a bit confusing at first to use (not much info on how to use it is provided) but after a bit of fiddling I found out how most of it works. I was baffled by how to get the different report formats then discovered that you have to go to print to find them all. If you're from Australia like me you can change the setting to mmol/l in the Preferences (in the View menu), Miscellaneous tab.

I love the way it keeps track of your carb intake and total daily dose- makes it much easier for somebody like me who is low carbing for better control and weight loss.

[Plebuch]

I would kill for one of these pens. My one request would be that there be software on the Macintosh that could be used to analyze the data.

[2098R]

Definitly that would be one Coool pen!

[jpnairn]

I love the smart pen.
There are a couple of little things about the design I would tinker with.

The sliding tube over the syringe is inadequate. The needle really needs to be encased so that it can be stuffed into a pocket without worrying that a wad of lint or a stick of gum isn't going to get stuck up in the tube and make contact with the needle.
I've seen complex pens, writing pens, that open and close with a twist. There could be some way to do that. Or it could simply use a cap. Which is a good segue to the next item.

The rubber tipped cap for the meter strip opening is an interesting idea. Why not a regular cap, like a pen? This cap could have a lancet built into it.

A fair sized pen, about the size of a six inch sharpie, could be a lancet, a cozen strips, a couple days insulin, and a smart pen.