Objective
Automated Insulin Delivery (AID) systems, also known as Hybrid Closed Loop (HCL) systems or Artificial pancreas (AP) systems are used to monitor and control blood glucose levels, which would otherwise cause serious health problems for diabetic patients, including damage to the heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. According to the Type 1 Diabetics Index – a recent first-of-its-kind data management tool that measures the impact of T1D across the globe – there are about 8.7 million people living with T1D around the world, and not only having access to but also use of AP systems could save 673,000 more people by 2040. Despite the demonstrated clinical benefits, T1D patients avoid taking advantage of such AP systems because of the burden of wearing an on-body insulin pump. Also, the patients need to wear two different devices separately, i.e., (i) a continuous glucose monitoring system and (ii) insulin pumps, which only contribute to the physical and psychological burdens on the patients. Thus, there is a pressing need for insulin delivery systems with reduced “form-factors” and other “user-centric” features to increase a greater adoption of such devices in the T1D community.
To offer a potential solution, the Principal Investigator (PI) proposes a novel magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) peristaltic micropump that has not been studied previously to offer an efficient, miniature (Diameter×Height=ø25mmx4mm), lightweight, portable, wirelessly controllable (with a fast response time of less than 100 ms), durable, low power micropump for insulin delivery. To realize this, the PI will conduct proof-of-concept studies of the proposed pump designs in the laboratory environment. This will include 3D printing of primitive-shaped MRE samples on the order of millimeters; characterization of the 3D-printed primitive-shaped MRE samples; 3D printing of the MRE pump samples; physics-based computer simulations, and testing of the 3D-printed MRE pump samples. The knowledge and data generated in this project will be leveraged to attract further funding from both government and nongovernment agencies and foundations.
The ultimate pump system, including the flow chamber; flow sensors; drug reservoir; electromagnets; microcontroller; and mini power source to supply currents to the electromagnets can be installed on a wearable patch. As a finished product, the pump can be programmed and activated by using a mobile application to deliver the required insulin levels for basal and bolus doses.
Background Rationale
Automated Insulin Delivery (AID) systems, also known as Hybrid Closed Loop (HCL) systems or Artificial pancreas (AP) systems are used to monitor and control blood glucose levels, which would otherwise cause serious health problems for diabetic patients, including damage to the heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. According to the Type 1 Diabetics Index – a recent first-of-its-kind data management tool that measures the impact of T1D across the globe – there are about 8.7 million people living with T1D around the world, and not only having access to but also use of AP systems could save 673,000 more people by 2040. Despite the demonstrated clinical benefits, T1D patients avoid taking advantage of such AP systems because of the burden of wearing an on-body insulin pump. Also, the patients need to wear two different devices separately, i.e., (i) a continuous glucose monitoring system and (ii) insulin pumps, which only contribute to the physical and psychological burdens on the patients. Thus, there is a pressing need for insulin delivery systems with reduced “form-factors” and other “user-centric” features to increase a greater adoption of such devices in the T1D community. To offer a potential solution, the Principal Investigator (PI) proposes a novel magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) peristaltic micropump that has not been studied previously to offer an efficient, miniature (Diameter×Height=ø25mmx4mm), lightweight, portable, wirelessly controllable (with a fast response time of less than 100 ms), durable, low power micropump for insulin delivery. The whole pump system, including the flow chamber, flow sensors, drug reservoir, electromagnets, microcontroller, and mini power source to supply currents to the electromagnets can be installed on a wearable patch. As a finished product, the pump can be programmed and activated by using a mobile application to deliver the required insulin levels for basal and bolus doses. If successful, the proposed pump concept will potentially increase the use of AP system among the T1D community.
Description of Project
Automated Insulin Delivery (AID) systems, also known as Hybrid Closed Loop (HCL) systems or Artificial pancreas (AP) systems are used to monitor and control blood glucose levels, which would otherwise cause serious health problems for diabetic patients, including damage to the heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. According to the Type 1 Diabetics Index – a recent first-of-its-kind data management tool that measures the impact of T1D across the globe – there are about 8.7 million people living with T1D around the world, and not only having access to but also use of AP systems could save 673,000 more people by 2040. Despite the demonstrated clinical benefits, T1D patients avoid taking advantage of such AP systems because of the burden of wearing an on-body insulin pump. Also, the patients need to wear two different devices separately, i.e., (i) a continuous glucose monitoring system and (ii) insulin pumps, which only contribute to the physical and psychological burdens on the patients. Thus, there is a pressing need for insulin delivery systems with reduced “form-factors” and other “user-centric” features to increase a greater adoption of such devices in the T1D community. To offer a potential solution, the Principal Investigator (PI) proposes a novel magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) peristaltic micropump that has not been studied previously to offer an efficient, miniature (Diameter×Height=ø25mmx4mm), lightweight, portable, wirelessly controllable (with a fast response time of less than 100 ms), durable, low power micropump for insulin delivery. The MRE micropump relies on an electromagnetic actuation mechanism. MREs are consisting of a rubber-like base material and micron-sized iron particles embedded in them. Under a magnetic field, the pump chamber contracts, and the amount of contraction depends on the intensity of the applied magnetic field, which can be controlled via electromagnets. A series of electromagnets actuate the chamber sequentially to generate a peristaltic motion to push the fluid forward, while one-way flow valves in each chamber prevent the fluid from leaking backward during the sequential contractions. This is a similar phenomenon to the peristaltic movement of a bolus of food in the esophagus except that for the micropump, the actuation is achieved by magnetic stimulation. The whole pump system, including the flow chamber, flow sensors, drug reservoir, electromagnets, microcontroller, and mini power source to supply currents to the electromagnets can be installed on a wearable patch. As a finished product, the MRE micropump can be programmed and activated by using a mobile application to deliver the required insulin levels for basal and bolus doses. In this project, the PI will carry out both a simulation and an experimental framework, where the PI will demonstrate the working mechanism of the proposed pumping technology on a relatively larger-size prototype in the laboratory environment. The prototype will be on the order of H x W x L = 5mm x 5mm x 30 mm in size. The prototypes will be fabricated at The Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology at Georgia Tech and will then be tested in the PI’s Thermofluidic Systems Laboratory. Future studies will include downsizing the prototype to under mm levels. The application of the proposed micropump is not limited to insulin delivery systems for T1D patients and can also potentially be used in a wide range of other applications such as artificial organs to transport blood, organ-on-chip applications, micro-cooling devices, and so on.
Anticipated Outcome
Automated Insulin Delivery (AID) systems, also known as Hybrid Closed Loop (HCL) systems or Artificial pancreas (AP) systems are used to monitor and control blood glucose levels, which would otherwise cause serious health problems for diabetic patients, including damage to the heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. According to the Type 1 Diabetics Index – a recent first-of-its-kind data management tool that measures the impact of T1D across the globe – there are about 8.7 million people living with T1D around the world, and not only having access to but also use of AP systems could save 673,000 more people by 2040. Despite the demonstrated clinical benefits, T1D patients avoid taking advantage of such AP systems because of the burden of wearing an on-body insulin pump. Also, the patients need to wear two different devices separately, i.e., (i) a continuous glucose monitoring system and (ii) insulin pumps, which only contribute to the physical and psychological burdens on the patients. Thus, there is a pressing need for insulin delivery systems with reduced “form-factors” and other “user-centric” features to increase a greater adoption of such devices in the T1D community.
To offer a potential solution, the Principal Investigator (PI) proposes a novel magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) peristaltic micropump that has not been studied previously to offer an efficient, miniature (Diameter×Height=ø25mmx4mm), lightweight, portable, wirelessly controllable (with a fast response time of less than 100 ms), durable, low power micropump for insulin delivery. The whole pump system, including the flow chamber, flow sensors, drug reservoir, electromagnets, microcontroller, and mini power source to supply currents to the electromagnets can be installed on a wearable patch. As a finished product, the pump can be programmed and activated by using a mobile application to deliver the required insulin levels for basal and bolus doses. If successful, the proposed pump concept will potentially increase the use of AP system among the T1D community.
Relevance to T1D
Automated Insulin Delivery (AID) systems, also known as Hybrid Closed Loop (HCL) systems or Artificial pancreas (AP) systems are used to monitor and control blood glucose levels, which would otherwise cause serious health problems for diabetic patients, including damage to the heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. According to the Type 1 Diabetics Index – a recent first-of-its-kind data management tool that measures the impact of T1D across the globe – there are about 8.7 million people living with T1D around the world, and not only having access to but also use of AP systems could save 673,000 more people by 2040. Despite the demonstrated clinical benefits, T1D patients avoid taking advantage of such AP systems because of the burden of wearing an on-body insulin pump. Also, the patients need to wear two different devices separately, i.e., (i) a continuous glucose monitoring system and (ii) insulin pumps, which only contribute to the physical and psychological burdens on the patients. Thus, there is a pressing need for insulin delivery systems with reduced “form-factors” and other “user-centric” features to increase a greater adoption of such devices in the T1D community. To offer a potential solution, the Principal Investigator (PI) proposes a novel magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) peristaltic micropump that has not been studied previously to offer an efficient, miniature (Diameter×Height=ø25mmx4mm), lightweight, portable, wirelessly controllable (with a fast response time of less than 100 ms), durable, low power micropump for insulin delivery. The whole pump system, including the flow chamber, flow sensors, drug reservoir, electromagnets, microcontroller, and mini power source to supply currents to the electromagnets can be installed on a wearable patch. As a finished product, the pump can be programmed and activated by using a mobile application to deliver the required insulin levels for basal and bolus doses. If successful, the proposed pump concept will potentially increase the use of AP system among the T1D community.