Zone-MPC Artificial Pancreas for Insulin Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional insulin delivery methods for diabetes management, such as multiple daily insulin injections and continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion, are invasive, inconvenient, and often result in unpredictable blood glucose fluctuations due to fixed dosage approaches that fail to account for varying metabolic demands, leading to risks of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia.
Innovation Solution
The development of an artificial pancreatic β-cell based on Zone-MPC (Model Predictive Control) that uses mapped-input data and linear difference personalized models to automatically adjust insulin delivery, maintaining glucose levels within a predefined zone, thereby reducing control moves and oscillatory profiles, and enabling safer, more efficient insulin delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If fixed dosage approaches are used for insulin delivery, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but blood glucose control reliability deteriorates due to uncontrollable fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a closed-loop feedback system where continuous glucose monitor data is fed back to the controller, which automatically adjusts insulin delivery dosages. This feedback mechanism enables the system to respond to real-time glucose levels, maintaining reliability while automating dosage adjustments to preserve ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs an artificial pancreatic beta-cell algorithm that autonomously determines optimal insulin dosages without requiring user intervention. The controller automatically processes glucose data and adjusts insulin delivery, allowing the system to self-regulate and maintain reliable glucose control while keeping the interface simple for users.
2Reliability
If continuous glucose monitoring with automated control is implemented, then glucose level control reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves multiple functions: it processes continuous glucose monitor data, runs the artificial pancreatic beta-cell algorithm, calculates optimal insulin dosages, and communicates with the insulin pump. By consolidating these functions into a single multi-functional controller, the system achieves reliable automated glucose control while minimizing the number of separate components needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a communication interface as an intermediary layer between the continuous glucose monitor and the insulin pump. This interface standardizes data exchange protocols and abstracts the complexity of integrating different device components, allowing the system to achieve reliable automated control without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
3Speed
If rapid-acting insulin analogues are used in continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion, then responsiveness to glucose changes is improved, but the risk of hypoglycemia increases due to pharmacokinetic variability
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts insulin delivery parameters in real-time based on continuous glucose monitoring data. Rather than using fixed dosages, the controller continuously modifies insulin rate and timing to match the patient's current metabolic state, maintaining rapid responsiveness while adapting to prevent hypoglycemic events.
Solution Approach 2:
The artificial pancreatic beta-cell algorithm changes key parameters including insulin dosage, delivery timing, and infusion rate based on real-time glucose levels and predicted future glucose trends. This dynamic parameter adjustment allows the system to leverage the rapid action of insulin analogues while preventing harmful hypoglycemic effects through proactive dosage modification.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method, computer implemented method and associated apparatus for the management of diabetes is provided.