# Everyday Problems - Designing for Diabetes



## JimReilly (Aug 23, 2011)

Hi,
I am a designer who has just finished studying Product Design at university, and the reason I decided to take this course was to help others.

I am curious to see if people with Diabetes have any areas in their everyday life they have difficulty with, no matter how small, that can be aided with the help of a product. As I would relish the chance to design a product/service to aid with these difficulties.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to your responses,

Jim O'Reilly


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## Northerner (Aug 23, 2011)

Hi Jim, welcome to the forum  There are a few things that could be improved on or where innovation wouldn't go amiss. Some people have neuropathy which causes numbness in the fingers and this makes using blood testing and pen injection devices difficult to use. A lot of people occasionally experience forgetfulness as to whether thay have taken their tablets, injected their insullin, how much they injected, when they injected etc.

Just a few ideas, hope it helps


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## Robster65 (Aug 23, 2011)

Hi Jim. Welcome. 

DEFINITELY something to help remember to inject/test and, whether the injection has been done or not (It's such an automatic thing that is sometimes done without committing to memory) and how much insulin has been injected.

It happens to a lot of us and could be a life-saver.

And just to add that retinopathy is a big problem too for many, which results in loss of sight.

And a device to convert cheesecake into a non-fattening, carb-free food please. 

Rob


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## Vicsetter (Aug 23, 2011)

Hi Jim, judging from your course I would suspect that you are looking to be able to design a product rather than invent something.  Personally I would welcome anything that would reduce the bits and pieces we have to cart around, do a meter that had a build in lancing device and built in test strips would be good (some do this to some extent but not very well).  All the bits are there, just needs designing.


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## KateR (Aug 23, 2011)

Northerner said:


> Hi Jim, welcome to the forum  There are a few things that could be improved on or where innovation wouldn't go amiss. Some people have neuropathy which causes numbness in the fingers and this makes using blood testing and pen injection devices difficult to use. A lot of people occasionally experience forgetfulness as to whether thay have taken their tablets, injected their insullin, how much they injected, when they injected etc.
> 
> Just a few ideas, hope it helps



This might sound trivial but I'd welcome a device to help me peel the spuds. My hands don't like holding them any more.


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## Northerner (Aug 23, 2011)

I'd like something that I could clip to my BG meter so that it would shine a light on my finger and the test strip when I have to test in the middle of the night. I think there is a meter that does have a light, but I'd like something universal that would fit all meters.


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## Steff (Aug 23, 2011)

Northerner said:


> I'd like something that I could clip to my BG meter so that it would shine a light on my finger and the test strip when I have to test in the middle of the night. I think there is a meter that does have a light, but I'd like something universal that would fit all meters.



Yeah the freestyle  lite has a backlight......but your idea is a good one.


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## Nyadach (Aug 23, 2011)

As many of you know, I'm not a fan of how large pumps are...still feel they could be considerably smaller than they currently are and much thinner. Personally don't see why they can't be machined from a single piece of aluminium, armoured up and using a nanopump (tiny interchangeable pumps designed for use in insulin pumps which are only 1/4 the size of a 5p but currently only used in the JewelPump I believe) could make a pump something in the region of 50x50x9mm in size if you separate out the workings to be above or below two halfs of the device which come out. One side have a interchangeable rechargeable main battery, and also a smaller battery in the device in the main body of the pump (was thinking of a tiny CR cell or something similar to run the pump while the main battery was being changed). And the other side holding the insulin. But well, haven't given this much thought on how a pump should be made 

Same goes for blood meters. Still find them far to big and inconvenient. It's always a complete pain to drag around all our kit...BG meter, strips, lancets, pens, needles, emergency food...all the time! let alone all the extra kit if we're going anywhere.

I guess I just find it annoyingly slow how medical kit advances compared to most tech


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## Natalie123 (Aug 24, 2011)

Lots of good ideas here so far! This is a great thread, I love thinking up new ideas. A meter with a built in torch would be great. Also a pen that records how much insulin you took and when because I take mine so automatically that I forget what I've taken! Also, a very simple one, my pen is always slipping out of my hands when I inject, especially if I am taking a lot, some sort of rubber grip that you can slip on the pen would be good, perhaps a bit like the rubber things children use to teach them how to hold a pencil!


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## Hanmillmum (Aug 24, 2011)

Northerner said:


> I'd like something that I could clip to my BG meter so that it would shine a light on my finger and the test strip when I have to test in the middle of the night. I think there is a meter that does have a light, but I'd like something universal that would fit all meters.



I too would find this a godsend for night testing, currently creep into my daughters room armed with lancet pen in one hand, monitor in the other and little book torch clamped between my teeth.  she rarely wakes up though, got it down to a fine art!


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## Northerner (Aug 24, 2011)

Hanmillmum said:


> I too would find this a godsend for night testing, currently creep into my daughters room armed with lancet pen in one hand, monitor in the other and little book torch clamped between my teeth.  she rarely wakes up though, got it down to a fine art!



I was reading a Canadian lady's blog and she has something called a 'lightbug' (or something like that!) which is a little LED light that you can stick to a meter, but I couldn't find anything similar over here.

edit: found the blog: http://canadiandgal.blogspot.com/2010/11/light-bugs.html


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## Natalie123 (Aug 24, 2011)

Just thought of another one! Nice wallets for our meters, the ones that come with the meters are so boring, black and medical looking things, you can get coloured ones but nothing inspiring.


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## Pumper_Sue (Aug 24, 2011)

JimReilly said:


> Hi,
> I am a designer who has just finished studying Product Design at university, and the reason I decided to take this course was to help others.
> 
> I am curious to see if people with Diabetes have any areas in their everyday life they have difficulty with, no matter how small, that can be aided with the help of a product. As I would relish the chance to design a product/service to aid with these difficulties.
> ...



How about a cure


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## RHepton (Aug 24, 2011)

*storage*

I had an idea for insulin storage when your out and about that will let off some sort of bleep or audible warning when its exceeding recommeded temperatures.  Just a thought, it may well have already been done.


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## Copepod (Aug 24, 2011)

Hanmillmum said:


> I too would find this a godsend for night testing, currently creep into my daughters room armed with lancet pen in one hand, monitor in the other and little book torch clamped between my teeth.  she rarely wakes up though, got it down to a fine art!



A head torch is ideal for this sort of situation.


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## Hanmillmum (Aug 24, 2011)

Northerner said:


> I was reading a Canadian lady's blog and she has something called a 'lightbug' (or something like that!) which is a little LED light that you can stick to a meter, but I couldn't find anything similar over here.
> 
> edit: found the blog: http://canadiandgal.blogspot.com/2010/11/light-bugs.html



They look just the job don't they! Tried a quick search myself but no joy as yet, will persevere - many thanks 



Copepod said:


> A head torch is ideal for this sort of situation.



OMG imagine if she woke to see mummy looking like a miner  would never get her back to sleep


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