Thousands of diabetics will have a reason to smile as they will be able to take their daily dose of insulin without feeling pain. Rajkot girl Devina Kothari has developed an insulin delivery system that is virtually pain-free.
A graduate from CEPT University in Ahmedabad, with post-graduate degree in industrial design from Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), Kothari feels that her design will benefit the children and teenagers the most. She was recently given the Red Dot Award, considered to be the ‘Oscar of Product Design’ by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen, Essen, Germany, for the innovative insulin delivery system.
Kothari’s pain-free device is all set for commercial production by multi-national drug giant Sanofi. The device comprises of a close loop of two inter-connected units, one for monitoring the insulin level in the body and other to diffuse insulin. The monitoring unit has an embedded GPS with a microprocessor, LED display, physical connector and a stainless steel probe which functions as a biosensor and continuously detects and monitors the blood glucose level and the pulse rate.
Based on input from monitoring unit the diffusing unit releases insulin as per body requirement. “The microprocessor is also connected with the back-lit LED which displays the current glucometer reading, pulse rate, insulin content in the reservoir and the current battery reserve of the microprocessor,” Devina said while explaining the device.
The device is highly recommended for children, unconscious, handicapped, and dependent patients or those under intensive care as it monitors, delivers and alarms simultaneously without frequent human intervention, she said.
“Use of an array of microneedles for continuous transdermal diffusing of insulin is what make the process painfree,” Kothari said, adding that she got the idea from a mosquito bite.
