A diabetic design student, Andrew Bartlett, has engineered a sleek, all-in-one diabetes kit, to decrease the hassle and public spectacle for kids who want tight glycemic control:
In1 is a computer mouse sized ‘pebble’ that despite its small size, contains all the equipment necessary to conduct a blood test, making testing quick and simple to carry out. Having all components in one case also removes the awkwardness of co-ordinating different medical equipment.
In1 includes a rollerball soap, which allows users to sterilise a small area of their skin, so they can take a test without having to find facilities in which to wash their hands. In1 also integrates test strips into a compartment in the glucose monitor to make the kit as compact as possible.
“I wanted In1 to be easy to use so that testing would be quicker and simpler,” explains Andrew. “I also wanted the kit to look more like a consumer gadget than traditional medical equipment – so it would fit into someone’s backpack or bag and not draw attention to itself.”
A recent study by Diabetes UK found that four in five children with diabetes were failing to manage their diabetes and were not achieving recommended blood sugar levels. It is hoped that In1 will help to encourage teenagers to take more glucose tests.
We’d have thought teenage boys would love blood and needles and bulky medical equipment. After all, we used to be into that sort of thing.
But then again, we used to be kind of dorky. As opposed to, say, now.
More from Brunel University’s Andrew Bartlett…
Hat Tip: We-Make-Money-Not-Art.com