News

21 March 2011 - Today I received and experimented with a fluid and bubble detection module (see video under Progress). It's great. It can detect clear fluids in a transparent tube and even seems to be able to differentiate bubbles. I am going to use this in the new version 3 design - details coming soon.

9 January 2011 - Happy New Year! Let's hope this year sees some really beneficial and affordable advances in diabetes care. I still hope to get something safe working sometime soon - that sounds a little vague doesn't it. Put it this way, I'm not going to give up.

Received the Microbase pumps a while ago now (see below for a link). They're pretty good. Some characteristics are better than the Bartels pump. They seem stronger and seem to be able to resist forward pressure better. I could probably be more scientific about it but I won't be here right now. If you need more details email me. The other advantage is that they have the control electronics built in and operate at 5V.

Having said that, what might be an advantage in some cases I have decided is not actually advantage for me. The pump works at a fixed 50Hz. The problem is that it is difficult to get accurate dosing. So in fact the flexibility of the Bartels pumps is better for me, especially with the new design I have come up with.

21 September 2010 - Modification to design to better manage insulin flow. I've ordered some Microbase pumps (see here). They look great. They are nearly as small as the Bartels pumps, but work on 5V. Looks like they may have better charateristics as well. Should be getting them in 2 weeks. They weren't a bad price either, $52. If these work well, I can get rid of the three largest components, the capacitor, the flyback transformer and the relay. So it will be a big space saving.

I'm also looking at sensors for monitoring the pumps and the reservoir for operation and safty. I want to be able to (1) determine when the reservoir is full, (2) determine when the reservoir is almost empty, (3) determine if the is a leak in the system, (4) determine if the insulin has actually been delivered and (5) is there are any bubbles in the system.

20 September 2010 - Received Lee Series 120 solendoid valves. They're great, really small. I've managed to build a circuit that opens and closes the valves. The valve also resists the pressure of my reservoir. Take a look at the video in "Progress" or click here to view at YouTube.

26 August 2010 - Successfully created first Android application that communicates over bluetooth using HTC Hero.

22 April 2010 - Add new section showing reservoir development progress, Progress->Reservoir, here. Added picture of prototype casing in image gallery.

16 March 2010 - Compare the Omnipod with the i-Pump in the image gallery (pictures and animation), here.

1 March 2010 - Added image gallery page on Home page containing screen captures of designs and 3D models of the pump and the reservoir kindly designed and supplied by Francisco Garcia Vacas of Malaga University, Spain.

1 February 2010 - Full list of components now available here.

11 September 2009 - Completed production prototype shown on home page and here. Production prototype video coming soon.

2 September 2009 - Received an iPhone with intention of integrating with iPump. Unfortunately Apple have locked down nearly all the bluetooth profiles so it looks like I'm not going to be able to do this. I'm still going to try, but I may have to "jailbreak" the phone in order to acheive my aims. On the other hand - what do people like so much about the iPhone? I guess it is attractive and cool but I have one major problem when applied to the diabetes market - and it's my same old grip - it's too big and heavy! I'm sticking to my standard mobile, I don't really want to carry something so large around with me.

20 August 2009 - Further progress made in production prototype build. Added picture to Progress, Production Prototype page. Added details of battery here.

16 August 2009 - Experimenting with the test-bed and the coiled tube insulin reservoir idea, it seems that I can remove the check valve. This is good news as it makes the pump smaller but also I have realised I can use the insulin set connection method to clip the pump onto the user, just about eminating tubing completely. Also rearranged the test-bed design to test changes required in the board layout (see additional image here). Prototype build is progressing quite well now. Bought up all web domains i-GlucoMon and iGlucoMon ready for a very compact continuous glucose monitor implementation using a mobile phone, bluetooth module and bionsensor; website coming soon.

13 August 2009 - Added deatils including photos of build progress on Progress, Production Prototype page.

12 August 2009 - Added Forum. Added link to CV/Resume in About Us page. More contact methods on Contact page.

7 August 2009 - Watch the demonstration video courtesy of YouTube in the Progress session.

Full end to end principle proved on test-bed, including reservoir idea. I connected a coil of tubing to the pump input and then tested the priming of the pump idea. Filled the tubing with an insulin pen until insulin (Humalog) was discharged from the insulin set - pump primed. Used on board control button to specify units to be pumped. Insulin was successfully pumped out of the insulin set. There appears to be no forward leakage, so the check valve is doing its job. This is all very good news, it's working very well. Video coming soon.

4 August 2009 - All AIRCable pin connections now moved on the test-bed so that they will match the intended prototype design. I can now use the same software on the test-bed and prototype. I will return to building the prototype, continuing with the power which I think is going to be the hardest part. Now on page 6 of Google UK search using search term "insulin delivery system".

24 July 2009 - Moved unit request button input from pin IO 8 to pin IO 0, and charging complete indication from pin IO 4 to pin IO 8 on AIRCable controller, and changed software to match as first steps to align test-bed with proposed prototype layout. Tested and working. Now I need to move the remaining input/outputs. Once this is complete I can continue building and testing the prototype using the latest software. Still on page 12 of Google UK (see below).

21 July 2009 - Web site check and update. The web site is on page 12 of a Google UK search, based on the search term "insulin delivery system" - I'm quite pleased with that.

15 July 2009 - Started building the prototype. Phase 1 complete. See here.

12 July 2009 - Added "The Mobile Phone" section with Java code, under overview. Added "Circuit Diagram" under Progress. Added code AIRCable controller here.

8 July 2009 - Update Wikipedia page on Insulin Pumps to link new (much smaller) pumps in develeopment and my delivery system. Also included two insulin patches that are in development.

6 July 2009 (PM) - After re-reading a thesis I found on the internet I may have come up with a new idea for the insulin reservoir. See Overview - The Insulin Reservoir for details. Also I asked Bartels if they suppied fluid reservoirs. Although they do not have an off-the-shelf product their response was quite positive. They asked for details of the application and suggested that they may be able to develop a custom item and appear to be working towards supply such an item anyway within a complete module. So perhaps something will come out of this communication.

6 July 2009 (AM) - Just received the new MP6 pump and driver chip from Bartels (see below, respectively right and left of the picture). I'm quite relieved really because the driver chip (they call it a controller) isn’t any smaller than the set of components I’ve used to drive (power) the smaller MP5 pump. Also, looking at the chip, it doesn’t look to be as flexible as I will need, in terms of the control of the pump. In short, I don’t feel that all the work I’ve done has been wasted. I’m going to carry on with the i-Pump as per my present design and not change anything at this stage. There may be some advantages to switching to these new components but I will investigate at a later date, or if I come across and problems with the existing design. I also now have 10 pumps, I don’t need this many so if there is anymore who wants some by all means get in touch.

3 July 2009 - Implemented code so that user can specify and confirm units of insulin to be delivered via button pushes.

1 July 2009 - Bartels-Mikrotechnik have responded and I've just put in an order for their new MP6 pump and pump driver module.

June 2009 - Further development of proof-of-concept to replace some of the components with smaller surface mount devices.

May 2009 - Designed component layout on a board for the first version of the final packaged pump prototype. The board design can be seen on the "Development, Prototype" page.

May 2009 - Completion of initial proof-of-concept consisting of pump, electronics, bluetooth module software and mobile phone software.

January 2008 - First order of micro pump, controller and tubing.