Help with diabetes-related design project

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Thanks for your replies everyone, it's so helpful to read all of these so no worries about rubbishing my idea.
I'll try to come back here and let you know what my final solution turns out to be! In the meantime, any other comments on improvements that can be made to blood glucose testing are very welcome 🙂
 
kayleighw said:
Thanks for your replies everyone, it's so helpful to read all of these so no worries about rubbishing my idea.
I'll try to come back here and let you know what my final solution turns out to be! In the meantime, any other comments on improvements that can be made to blood glucose testing are very welcome 🙂
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Smaller lancet devices - mine is the size of a chunky biro, and really doesn't need to be - it's extra bulk to have to carry about, which is particularly annoying when I'm out on a run and have very limited space for carrying things.🙂 Test strip pots are too big too. I know there are some devices that use individually-wrapped strips, which means you don't have to carry the pot around with you, but still keep the strips clean. I don't really want to change my meters to get those though!
 
Disposing of testing strips - no problem if individually wrapped, just replace used strip in torn packet and dispose of when next near enough to a bin. Personally, I prefer individually wrapped strips, so that I can carry only the number I need.
 
I really like the idea of not having to carry a pot of 50 strips around, hence I like the idea of that Contour Breeze which has a cartridge of 10 strips, which I know isn't (enough) the perfect solution but a good start, so all it would need then is a lancet device in built, surely possible ???
 
rossi_mac said:
I really like the idea of not having to carry a pot of 50 strips around, hence I like the idea of that Contour Breeze which has a cartridge of 10 strips, which I know isn't (enough) the perfect solution but a good start, so all it would need then is a lancet device in built, surely possible ???
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Good idea, I wonder if it is possible to have a meter which uses a combined lancet/strip so that once you stab yourself, the blood is kind of sooked up if you leave the lancet bit in place and then you get your result there and then - it would be useful for doing tests in the dark when I find getting the blood onto the strip is really difficuly/ impossible.
 
Hev said:
Hi Grahams Mum,
Does your machine not store the results in it, so you can check that way?
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yes it does but i have 2 meter i am not checking the school one every day usually if has been a bad day the teacher or TA come and talks to me
 
MCH said:
Good idea, I wonder if it is possible to have a meter which uses a combined lancet/strip so that once you stab yourself, the blood is kind of sooked up if you leave the lancet bit in place and then you get your result there and then - it would be useful for doing tests in the dark when I find getting the blood onto the strip is really difficuly/ impossible.
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Was thinking of that kind of thing today, pricks you and soaks up in one then gives reading. Good point about it being good for doing it in the dark too.

Thinking also of a smallish meter (around 2 inches or so wide) which has an attachment for the DS, going along the lines of aiming to the younger side. But also with USB and Bluetooth options to transfer to phone/PC to record daily readings, get graphs etcetc...I know this sort of thing exists already, just a case of finding anything that can make the program better and seeing what is wrong with existing ones.
 
Or scrapping the DS idea, an all in one pen shaped meter which can prick, soak and display a reading. Then still have the USB/bluetooth option for uploading results to said program

Thanks again everyone, you've been so helpful
 
Now that sounds good!

You could have the lancet at one end and a barrel which holds strips at the other then the display in the middle, so long as it doesn't only come in pink I'll place an order now!:D
 
rossi_mac said:
Now that sounds good!

You could have the lancet at one end and a barrel which holds strips at the other then the display in the middle, so long as it doesn't only come in pink I'll place an order now!:D
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snap but ill have it in pink 😛:D
 
Yeah I guess a removable end which the strip is loaded into. Off to have a sketch now!
Oh and I'll design in a range of lovely colours and patterns to suit all ;p
 
what if the pen was sectioned a section for your pricker a section for your strips and section for meter,and throw in a section for insulin to , that way the pen appiles to type one and type two and you pick the bits you want to fit together t make your pen, and that means if any one unit of the pen breaks or fails you can replace it without the need of buying a complte new pen.plus it is custimizable as you pick the elements you want to make your individual pen.
 
Hmmm, a few thoughts:

I agree about numbers being better and more accurate than colours.

I also feel some of the cases that hold the equipment could be better designed so they have enough pockets/spaces for equipment and used strips, and lancets, and are not trying to close whilst your using them! They all seem to be black too - boring? (I'd love a brightly coloured one with embroidery and tiny mirrors, like the old hippy style t-shirts, sigh...)

I agree that the pots holding strips can be a pain - trying to get a strip out when they're full - a pain, and I don't fancy individually wrapped ones, because they can also be a pain and ecologically, an unnecessary use of materials (sorry copepod!)

I've recently tried a new meter which I can input all sorts of information into, but have decided to go back to my old meter because i miss the smiley face which appears when I'm within my personal targets! There must be an important message about design in there somewhere! :D
 
Um, all I can really add is that I think an a) smaller more portable meter with b) inbuilt bits is a fab idea. Would love to be able to do the job without stuff falling everywhere, having to find something to prop on, etc etc...

Oh for it being possible!

Best of luck.
 
there is a company that does a pot of strips with the actual meter in the lid...so all you need extra is the lancet device.

great, but i would imagine it wouldn't hold results etc.
 
"I agree that the pots holding strips can be a pain - trying to get a strip out when they're full - a pain, and I don't fancy individually wrapped ones, because they can also be a pain and ecologically, an unnecessary use of materials (sorry copepod!)"
Runner, I agree about not to using unecessary resources, which is why I only change needles and lancets once a week or less. And an individual wrapper than can be reused to cover a bloodied strip is a reuse - not right for everyone, but works for me. A pot of strips would be too bulky for me - I usually carry around about 10 strips at any one time in my meter that I take out and about, but there's space to leave a whole box-full of 50 in the meter case I leave at home. There are occasions when the noise made by strips shaking around in a part full pot would be a nuisance, too.
 
shiv said:
there is a company that does a pot of strips with the actual meter in the lid...so all you need extra is the lancet device.

great, but i would imagine it wouldn't hold results etc.
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I've got an Accu-Chek Compact Plus meter. 17 Strips inside a drum and the lancing device attached to the meter.

If Roche could make the Mulitclix lancing device shorter, and attach it to the meter they'd be onto a winner for me.
 
Copepod said:
Runner, I agree about not to using unecessary resources, which is why I only change needles and lancets once a week or less. And an individual wrapper than can be reused to cover a bloodied strip is a reuse - not right for everyone, but works for me. A pot of strips would be too bulky for me - I usually carry around about 10 strips at any one time in my meter that I take out and about, but there's space to leave a whole box-full of 50 in the meter case I leave at home. There are occasions when the noise made by strips shaking around in a part full pot would be a nuisance, too.
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😱 Oh Copepod, the needles and lancets are designed to be used once, for health and hygiene and less painful pricking! I admire your support for the environment, but think your health comes first 🙂 (sorry - it's the 'mum' in me!)
 
Had a little sketch myself!

Woops a little small??
 

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