GPS-Enabled Infusion Pump Pre-Bolus Automation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Diabetics face challenges in managing blood glucose levels due to the need for frequent insulin administration, which can be complex and requires precise timing and dosage adjustments, especially when consuming meals, and existing infusion systems lack automation for pre-bolus insulin delivery based on location.
Innovation Solution
A medical therapy system incorporating a GPS-enabled infusion pump with a processor and communication hardware that delivers a pre-bolus volume of insulin when the user is within specified proximity of saved locations, providing user confirmation or automatic delivery based on GPS coordinates and additional data for accurate insulin administration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual insulin administration is used, then the diabetic can control insulin delivery, but the complexity of therapy management increases and timing precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The infusion device automatically monitors GPS location, compares it with saved location data, and autonomously determines when to deliver pre-bolus insulin without requiring manual user input for location tracking or timing decisions
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously receives GPS location data, compares it with stored location information, and uses this feedback loop to automatically trigger pre-bolus delivery when the user approaches a saved location, ensuring precise timing without manual intervention
2Measurement precision
If pre-bolus delivery is automated based on GPS location, then insulin timing precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The infusion device integrates multiple functions including GPS reception, location data storage, proximity comparison algorithms, and automated pre-bolus delivery control within a single device, eliminating the need for separate location tracking devices and simplifying the overall system architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-stores location data and delivery parameters in memory before the user reaches those locations, allowing the device to automatically execute pre-bolus delivery based on pre-computed conditions without requiring real-time complex calculations when the user arrives
3Reliability
If pre-bolus insulin is delivered automatically, then glucose control improves, but the risk of incorrect delivery increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors GPS location data and compares it with stored location information, using this feedback to confirm when the user has actually arrived at or near the saved location before triggering pre-bolus delivery, reducing the risk of premature or incorrect delivery
Solution Approach 2:
The device allows dynamic adjustment of delivery parameters and can modify or cancel pre-bolus delivery based on real-time conditions, such as if the user changes direction or stops approaching the saved location, ensuring safe and appropriate insulin administration
Data Source
AI summary
A medical therapy system to deliver a pre-bolus volume of medicant is disclosed. The medical therapy system includes an infusion pump that has a case containing a processor, memory, a drive mechanism, a reservoir, communication hardware and a sensor system. The infusion pump further includes a global positioning system (GPS) receiver to determine GPS coordinates of the infusion pump. The GPS receiver is coupled to the processor that executes stored program instructions to provide notification for confirmation to deliver a pre-bolus volume from the reservoir when the GPS coordinates of the infusion pump are within a specified proximity of GPS coordinates of a saved location.