The artificial pancreas from Inreda® Diabetic makes it possible for diabetes patients to regulate blood sugar fully automatically for the first time.
100,000 people in the Netherlands suffer from type 1 diabetes. The immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, a hormone that lowers blood sugar levels. As a result, these people cannot make their own insulin. They have to measure their blood sugar daily, monitor their diet, and inject insulin or wear a pump. But despite these measures, hypos and hypers, a blood sugar level that is too low or too high, still occurs regularly.
Mechanical engineer and inventor Robin Koops (self-diagnosed with type 1 diabetes) devised and developed an artificial pancreas that automatically regulates the insulin levels in the blood. The device is not much bigger than a smartphone and is full of sensors that continuously measure the blood glucose level. This controls the artificial pancreas with two necessary hormones, insulin and glucagon, without the intervention of the patient. Koops has been improving the device for many years, but now expects it to hit the market in 2024.
More information
Image: Diabetes Fund