[TheRabbit]

Hello Everyone,

I am an engineer working on developing a new glucose meter. I was hoping that I could get some feedback from the diabetic community. I hope posting this does not go against forum rules, lol.

Anyways, I would like to know what you like or dislike about current meters and what you would like to see in future meters such as features, form, feel, etc.

Thank you!

[inkvisitor]

Hmmm...interesting that you came here. Are you developing this on your own or for a larger corporation?

Most meters are a dime a dozen - I think the major thing is proprietary and expensive test strips. Most have pretty short result time (~5 seconds) and small sample size, though if it could be even less that would be a plus!

[telizas]

Well, if we're telling what we REALLY want, I want it to be more like a pulse-Ox reader... No pokes at all!!

Realistically...
Everyone is moving to no coding, so thats nice. Having a light on the end where the strip goes is nice too, only a few have this feature, and its handy for doing BG checks at night without waking a partner or running to the bathroom.

Better, more reliable downloading capabilities. It seems like people have such an issue with downloading the info. I wish someone would take this feature seriously. Why are there none with USB connections and decent software? We pay enough for the strips!

I'm sure others will have more ideas...

[TheRabbit]

Wow, thanks for the fast responses.

@inkvisitor: I am working for a small company on both the meter and the sensor strips.
The reason why I came here is because of google, and it's free and simple to post online to get some ideas flowing. Plus it's more direct. Any other ideas would be helpful though, hopefully free, haha.
The sensor strips can get pretty expensive, mostly due to the precious metals used, and especially the enzymes. The sampling time is due mostly to the enzyme reaction rates. I am currently working on the sample amounts, and I will see what I can do to keep the cost down on ours.

@telizas: I have tried to to propose a less invasive blood sampling method, but they have been shot down due to high costs and complex manufacturing. Money is always the issue. The light on the end is a great idea, I will incorporate that into my design. As for downloading the info, I am trying to stay away from usb since the port takes up a lot of room. I was thinking about using a microsd card instead. Then for the actual software, this part can get costly. I could program something nice with an graphical interface, graphs, and buttons, but that would take more time and be costly (but we could make a lot of money on that, lol). I guess what I am trying to say is that do you think that you and others could be happy with a simple text file read out with glucose levels and a timestamp? This would also remove operating system incompatibility issues, but I guess I am just rationalizing this, haha.


Thanks again!

[xMenace]

Things on my list..

Accuracy!

We are told they are not accurate, but the reality is we treat them like they are. I won't treat a 3.6 but I will treat a 3.3. In reality they are the same frickin number!

Making them more accurate is the number one thing you can do.

Size

When you consider size, and smaller is better, you have to consider the whole package. The Aviva Nano is an example. It is much smaller, but the lancet device is still big and the strip box is still big. The whole case offers very little if any size reduction. A waste of effort!

Connectivity

The Contour was just announced as the first USB meter. The first!? Every ****ing camera on the planet has a USB connection. Why can't all meters? Huh?

Actually why can't they all be wireless? Why can't they all connect to my pump?

Fail!

Memory, Averages, and other features

Not useful for me. I focus on the latest test. If I want to test for other purposes like rate setting, I'll use software and controlled, specific testing. I refuse to use my compliance testing to make changes with. This has served me well.

Others are different.

[themarquis]

Okay, I'm a bit of a geek, but I think even non-geeks could get behind this.

For non-geeky folks, here's the summary: you take readings and enter carbs, etc. with the meter ... then your readings and carb entries magically appear online on a (secure) webpage with pretty graphs and everything. You don't need to lift a finger or transfer readings or fiddle with software or anything.

For geeks: the ideal meter would use bluetooth or IR or something to wirelessly send data to your computer. It could be set up to do it automatically (you're going to see this word a lot) whenever it's in range. Better yet, it sends the data periodically wherever you are via wireless internet. You don't have to lift a finger. The meter could also have some buttons on it for further data entry a la the Ultra Smart glucometer (so you can note carbs, dietary details, exercise, etc.)

Then all this data is formatted and organized automatically. It can be automatically posted to a private web page so that you can look at it anywhere, anytime. You can look at it as data or as visually attractive graphs or trends or whatever. You can run reports or draw graphs on the fly for various queries (i.e., relationship between carbs and bg).

Your health care team or caregivers can look at this private webpage whenever they want -- results are constantly updated. Alerts can be set to automatically email or text a caregiver or health care worker when a reading or series of readings is out of range. Or folks can get daily or weekly digests of readings sent via email.

Starting to get the picture? This is technologically so simple. Yet today's glucometers are so behind the times! We're forced to pay a ton of money for a cable to connect to our computer. (even stupider ... my meter has an IR port on it. Sweet! My computer has an IR port. Right? No! I am forced to buy a special proprietary CABLE that connects to a special proprietary IR DEVICE that then will connect to my computer. What??? what genius thought up that one? 'Let's make this meter WIRELESSLY connect ... through a WIRED connection!')

Then we have to spend even more money for the clunky proprietary software. Then whenever you want to look at your numbers, you have to manually connect the glucometer and update your data, fiddle with stupid drivers (for example, for the proprietary WIRED WIRELESS device), wrestle with stupid software. There's no data backup, no connectivity with caregivers. File formats are proprietary, so it's not like I can send my data to other people. Maybe I have to convert data to .csvs or something? But 99 percent of the population has no idea what a .csv is, anyway.

End of rant.

[Subby]

Personally I would really like a simple output file of result and time stamp, and I encourage it because of that - but I doubt know that it will fit in with your main target market - those that are looking for basic ease and simplicity.

One things that really gets me about meter design is the clumsy cases you usually get. The case design is really as important as the tester itself, but it often seems like an afterthought. What's the point making a small tester if you put it in a sandwich sized case? How easy is it to open, (every second counts when you take multiple tests a day) is each element easy to access? Are they secure? Is there a pouch for a few odds and ends as well, such as for putting used strips if no bin? Are the zips, velcro, etc easy to use?

One of my most prized posessions (yes, really) is the case from my Accu check Active. It is not like the one you see online for that model, it is not so much a case but is rather more like a wetsuit for the tester (uses wetsuit material too). It surrounds the tester, with a clear plastic face for visibility, there is a loop at the top to hold the strip drum, and the lancet device sits aside it through a loop of thick elastic, like a spear. This case has lasted me for probably 10 years, I have put whatever my current tester is in it if it possible fits. The ease with which taking a test with this setup is unreal.

However they changed to a more traditional case for that model, and I've not seen it elsewhere. So I assume that while I love it, others may not. Still, something to think about.

[themarquis]

Originally Posted by TheRabbit

Then for the actual software, this part can get costly. I could program something nice with an graphical interface, graphs, and buttons, but that would take more time and be costly (but we could make a lot of money on that, lol). I guess what I am trying to say is that do you think that you and others could be happy with a simple text file read out with glucose levels and a timestamp? This would also remove operating system incompatibility issues, but I guess I am just rationalizing this, haha.


Thanks again!

OMG ... yes. A text file readout would be amazing and miles ahead of the other glucometers. Yes, I'd love something technologically more exciting (as I describe in my earlier post!), but a text file readout is simple and useful.

The reason is that it gets around the whole "fiddling with software, drivers, proprietary file formats" issue I just described. How simple is that -- stick the SD card (or whatever) into my computer and get a tiny text file with all my data. Then ... I can do what I like with it. Folks who don't need anything fancy can email it or print it. Geeks like me can format it however we like.

The other nice thing about a simple text format is that it would be easy to input it to an extant system like SugarStats (check it out if you're not familiar with it.) They've done all the work of setting up the system to make the pretty graphs and all that -- why reinvent the wheel? They have a simple file format called something like a sugarStats csv you can take a look at. Very basic -- just time/datestamp, glucose meter reading, tag field and note field. It woudl be awesome if your meter's text output was in this format (or could easily be converted to it).

Your company might also get a ton of customers by advertising on sugarstats or other online diabetes tracking programs and promoting your interoperability (is that a word?). There are a lot of people out there who have a little bit of technological know-how, want to track their data properly, and are not satisfied with the terrible software most of the meter companies sell. They end up on these online tracking systems but often input their data manually from their meters. If your company could make it easier for this group of people to input data, you may have a wider customer base.

Now I'm very curious about your company and what you folks are working on. And also whether you're looking to hire anyone soon ...

[e||ement]

i'd like to see a basic calculator function in it (maybe some have this already?) or something tailored to figuring out insuling doses based on my insulin:carb ratio.

even a function that allows you to enter your i:c and then you just put in the number of carbs and it spits out your dose.

this would be sooooooooooooo helpful in determining my bolus dose after taking my pre-meal reading.

i'm pretty good at math...but sometimes i just don't feel like dividing 33 by 24 in my head :p and then i pull out my cell phone and have to troll for the calculator function.

maybe i'm just lazy. or maybe you can design a meter that comes embedded in cell phones!

[xMenace]

Originally Posted by e||ement

i'd like to see a basic calculator function in it (maybe some have this already?) or something tailored to figuring out insuling doses based on my insulin:carb ratio.

even a function that allows you to enter your i:c and then you just put in the number of carbs and it spits out your dose.

this would be sooooooooooooo helpful in determining my bolus dose after taking my pre-meal reading.

i'm pretty good at math...but sometimes i just don't feel like dividing 33 by 24 in my head :p and then i pull out my cell phone and have to troll for the calculator function.

maybe i'm just lazy. or maybe you can design a meter that comes embedded in cell phones!

This is really intriguing. A diabetes calculator with settable ratios would be so nice to have! All you might have to enter are the expected carb load and it would spit out the recommended dose.

I bet it's too close to medical advice though. Liability in cases of ODing.

[foxl]

How about ... marketing TWO types of meters -- more accurate and more features for insulin-dependent users, and simple and cheaper (possibly less-accurate) for non-insulin-dependent users?

Maybe we non-ID's could get more strips out of our insurers, that way, while the ID's could get the needed accuracy, bells, and whistles?

[TheRabbit]

Thanks for the all the ideas, one thing I would like would be if you could refrain from ranting and using profanity. So keep it clean, think things out before posting and work out main points.

I am doing this on my lunch break so it would be nice if I could quickly reply to everyone and not have to read though huge paragraphs.

Also, keep in mind that we are a small business so at most we will have 2 models for this device. One for children, and a standard one for everyone else. I will push for a third or a forth model once the first two start selling (geeks/tech savy, and elderly/people who just want something that does not need much input). But of course, don't limit your ideas based on our capabilities, just limit yourselves to reality.

Finally, does anyone know if there's a way for me to edit my original post so that I have just keep all the responses there? Or are there any mods or admins that are willing to make an exception for me?

Thanks again everyone!


@xMenace: I will keep the whole package size under consideration. As for the wireless, they are power hungry and most people are not willing to replace or charge another battery on basically a daily basis, it's kind of like having the bluetooth on your phone on all day long. But I have a semi replacement idea in the works. For the usb connection, would you accept the microsd card idea instead? As for the rest, I can only say: secret technology.

@themarquis: That is a good idea, but two things that stop it: battery life, and crazy public privacy groups. But would you accept the microsd card data idea?
Thanks for the sugarstats info, I would like to keep my company secret for now due to proprietary and marketing stuff. I would also like to keep everything on this forum secret and have you all sign NDAs but that's impossible, lol, stupid competition with the large companies making all the money. As for hiring you, what can you bring to the table?

@Subby: Yah... I kind of got that gist from people I know, most people just want something pretty that works but are not willing to pay. As for the case, I will see if we can partner with those manufacturers that make those protective cases for cell phones. But I can see the reason why accu check dropped the case that you love so much, it's too expensive to make. How much did it cost you though?

@e||ement: the iphone actually has an app for that (maybe I should not have mentioned that, lol), but I would not really want to open that door, because of the huge lawsuits I can see popping up. If someone dies because of a wrong calculation, our company ends up dying. Unless we put a whole agreement form into the program and remind the user every time they test that we are not liable for any actions taken based on these calculations, haha.


Well it's past my lunch break so back to work for me.
Hopefully the mods/admins can get back to me on my request or hopefully I just cant find that "edit" button to include all these follow up comments on my original post.

Thanks for all the feedback!

[Subby]

Originally Posted by TheRabbit

Thanks for the all the ideas, one thing I would like would be if you could refrain from ranting and using profanity. So keep it clean, think things out before posting and work out main points.

I am doing this on my lunch break so it would be nice if I could quickly reply to everyone and not have to read though huge paragraphs.

My goodness how unfortunate for you to have to deal with people expressing themselves the way they want, and for being a little messy when they give you your free market research. There's an easy answer to that one for me... cya.

[cyberus]

Any reason a bluetooth function couldn't be used for wireless?

USB bluetooth dongles are dirt cheap (<$10) so that takes care of the computer end.
If the meter were setup to only power up bluetooth when asked to xmit data that would take the curse off the batteries.

And speaking of batteries ... on of the things I like the most about my Compact Plus is the fact that it uses common AA batteries rather than expensive watch/calc style batteries, combining a low cost battery (AA) with "turn on bluetooth during data session, turn off after X minutes" seems like it would eliminate multiple issues ie expensive cables and so on.

[anniebug]

A meter that acted like a Palm Pilot or a Smart Phone, where I could easily enter data that was pertinent to the reading, i.e.: stressful meeting, looming deadline, fight iwth the kids, carby lunch, etc, would be great. There's not enough room in the log book that came with my meter, and I'm not going to spend $45 on the Accu-Chek computer companion. Something that could serve as a log with unlimited space.

I tend to be wordy.