Monitoring Blood Glucose Concentration Levels for Diabetes

Using LabView

Diane KimFinal Presentation

Knoxville, Tennessee

Diabetes

• Lack of insulin produced in one’s pancreas, or the insulin is incompatible with one’s body

• Insulin serves as a “key”

◖When you eat, your body turns food into glucose

◖At this point, your pancreas releases insulin

◖Opens cells and allows glucose to enter, which provides energy

• Patients must manage their glucose levels carefully

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Causes and Symptoms

• Type 1 and Type 2 are predominant, though Gestational and other types do exist

• Type 1 makes up only 5% of the diabetes population

• Type 2 is mainly caused by diet or environmental influences

• Symptoms include:

◖ Extreme thirst or hunger

◖ Sweet smelling breath

◖ Ketoacidosis (diabetic coma)

Today’s Methods

• Methods today include finger pricking or urine testing, though finger pricking is more accurate

• Europe has a noninvasive measurement device that clips onto one’s earlobe (GlucoTrack)

iBGStar Monitor

• Connects to an iPhone or iPod touch device

• Comes with test strips that the patient would apply their blood to, and run the test strip through the device

CGM Sensors

• A minuscule electrode is inserted under the skin, which measures glucose levels in tissue fluid

• Connected to a transmitter that sends information to the device via a wireless radio frequency

Disadvantages

• Finger pricking, while accurate, is painful and difficult for those with physical limitations

◖ Also leads to sensitive and calloused fingertip

◖ An inconvenience to have to do every day for life

• Placing sensors under the skin can lead to health hazards

◖ Cell rejection

◖ Batteries can leak acid into bloodstream, potentially killing the patient

Designing a program for sensors

• Goal: Provide cheaper sensors while still maintaining accuracy

• LabView: visual programming platform

• Process:

◖ Receive signal

◖ Read and analyze given data

◖ Calculate slope

◖ Use slope and frequencies from signal to calculate unknown blood glucose concentrations

LabView Program

• Program will allow a wireless chip to monitor glucose levels

• Uses correlation between frequencies and blood glucose levels

• When levels are dangerously low or high, it gives an alert (LED Signal)

• Current process includes a signal simulation, use of slope formula, read to text capability

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Equation

Slope Formula: M= y1- y2

x1 - x2

M=CorrelationX=FrequencyY=Glucose Concentration

Slope Equation: Y = MX + B Y=Glucose ConcentrationM=Correlation or slopeX=Measured frequencyB=Constant

Advantages

• Antiquate finger pricking methods

• Allow utmost accuracy by calculating each individual pair of correlations rather than calculating a line of best fit

• Save costs (no need for strips or monitors that need to be updated)

Acknowledgements

• This work was supported in part by the Engineering Research Center Program of the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy under NSF Award Number EEC-1041877 and the CURENT Industry Partnership Program.

Works Cited

• http://www.diabetesresearch.org/what-is-diabetes

• http://www.cdc.gov/media/presskits/aahd/diabetes.pdf

• http://www.ibgstar.us/

• http://diatribe.org/issues/58/new-now-next/6

• http://www.everydayhealth.com/diabetes/needle-free-blood-sugar-testing.aspx

• http://www.tandemdiabetes.com/Products/Glucose-Monitoring/