Design of a Novel Autoinjector Device for Children with Type 1 Diabetes

[Sarah Nwisi]

Hello everyone.

My name is Sarah Nwisi. I am a third year Product Design Engineering student in my final year at Loughborough University. As part of my healthcare engineering module, my team and I have been tasked to design a novel autoinjector. We have chosen to look into children's experiences using autoinjectors to administer insulin, specifically aiming to design a more child friendly autoinjector that can be used independently.

In order to understand the experiences of diabetic children who use autoinjectors, we invite any parents of diabetic children who use or have used an autoinjector to please fill out the survey below.

Any responses are greatly appreciated.

If you have any questions, please feel free to drop them in the thread or send an email at "s.nwisi-20@student.lboro.ac.uk".

Survey Link

This has been approved by Mike @everydayupsanddowns

 

[Lucyr]

I know your whole project is based around “auto injectors”, but these aren’t something used for giving insulin.

An autoinjector is something that already has the needle attached and delivers a set dose. For example an epipen.

Insulin is delivered using insulin pens, where you screw a new needle on each time and dial your choice of dose up each time.

 

[Satan’s little helper]

Insulin dosing can vary. However, there was a pen on the market that had spring loaded delivery system after dialing the dosage then the release of a sliding catch. Had one myself.

 

[Lucyr]

Insulin dosing can vary. However, there was a pen on the market that had spring loaded delivery system after dialing the dosage then the release of a sliding catch. Had one myself.

View attachment 29620

This isn’t an auto injector though. It’s an insulin pen with a slider instead of a button. You still choose and dial up the dose and screw on a needle.

 

[Leadinglights]

You may be over simplifying what is needed.
Companies will be spending millions and having whole teams of people working for years on developing this sort of thing as there is not just the physical design but the ethics, legal, safety aspects also.
My other half worked for a company who were paid nearly a million pounds a month to design and develop an insulin delivery system.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

This study / survey has been reinstated following DUK approval