A sophisticated programmable miniaturised pump for insulin delivery

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Endocrinology
• Medical Devices

Background:

• Diabetes mellitus requires precise insulin management for glycemic control.
• Existing insulin delivery systems may lack personalization for mealtime variations.
• Technological advancements offer opportunities for improved diabetes self-management tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and describe a novel, pre-programmable insulin infusion system.
• To enable patient-specific insulin delivery profiles tailored to dietary intake.
• To enhance the flexibility and autonomy of insulin therapy for diabetic individuals.

Main Methods:

• Modification of a commercial syringe pump, retaining mechanical components.
• Integration of a microcontroller with timer and programmable memory (512 words x 8 bits).
• Implementation of a digital-to-frequency converter for motor control and storage of 8 insulin injection profiles.

Main Results:

• The system allows patients to select pre-programmed insulin profiles based on meal carbohydrate content.
• Each profile adjusts insulin delivery for approximately two hours, returning to a basal rate.
• Personalized or averaged insulin delivery parameters are stored in a replaceable memory cell.

Conclusions:

• The developed system offers a pre-programmable solution for intravenous insulin administration in diabetic subjects.
• It empowers patients to customize insulin delivery based on planned food intake.
• This innovation has the potential to improve glycemic control and quality of life for individuals with diabetes.