TempTouch for Foot Ulcer Detection

Here’s a development for diabetics: Xilas, Inc. received approval to move forward with their foot ulcer monitoring device:

The TempTouch RM is a device that diabetes patients use at home and stand on like a bathroom scale. It measures foot temperatures and the patient’s weight, loads the data into an on-board computer, and transmits the information via the phone/Internet to the doctor’s office or a central monitoring facility. The daily measurements are monitored for any potential problems. Elevated foot temperatures can be a sign of inflammation and potential ulceration, and a sudden increase in weight is an indication of impending heart problems in diabetic patients with congestive heart failure.
“The TempTouch RM is our first product in the area of telemedicine, and it’s a way that information technology can be used to save lives and money in the future of healthcare,” said Don Lawson, CEO of Xilas Medical, Inc. “This device is designed for the high-risk diabetes patient who can’t check their temperature measurements using a handheld device due to age, blindness, disability, or obesity. These are people for whom an ulcer would mean devastating consequences, including amputation and potential loss of life. With the TempTouch RM, the physician can get daily reports on the patient and detect potential ulcers before they occur, truly improving outcomes and quality of life.”

While this is pretty cool by itself, I think they’re limiting their market by just sensing temperature. Xilas could test for neuropathy, for instance, by adding a foot-massage feature. This way, even nondiabetics will buy the device.
More at Xilas Medical…