A wearable closed-loop insulin micropump toward a miniaturized artificial pancreas for diabetes

The application of a fully autonomous artificial pancreas faces fundamental constraints from the bulky mechanical drives of conventional insulin pumps and the spatially separated glucose sensing unit. Herein, we report a wearable closed-loop insulin micropump that enables a miniaturized artificial pancreas for diabetes treatment. It seamlessly integrates an electrochemical micropump with an optical glucose-responsive microneedle (MN) sensor. The core actuation module features a novel semi-dry sandwich electrode configuration combined with a highly elastic latex membrane and a groove-type epoxy sealing architecture. This structural paradigm shift effectively eliminates bulk fluid flow and ensures robust hermeticity for precise, electrolysis-gas-driven, microliter-scale dosing with a precision of 0.5 μL. For continuous glucose monitoring, a polyvinylpyrrolidone/polyvinyl alcohol (PVP/PVA) hydrogel MN array functionalized with 9-anthracene boronic acid (9-ANB) is employed. The specific binding of interstitial glucose triggers measurable fluorescence quenching, which is precisely digitized by an integrated XYZ true-color sensor (detection range: 0-600 mg/dL). Comprehensive in vitro and in vivo evaluations demonstrate the platform's predictable, programmable delivery kinetics and excellent biocompatibility. In type 1 diabetic mouse models, a smartphone-controlled system by autonomously and effectively suppressed postprandial glycemic spikes, maintaining glycemic fluctuations within 25 mg/dL. This highly integrated, miniaturized design offers a compelling paradigm shift for next-generation, patient-friendly diabetes management systems.