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Artificial Pancreas System Uses Smartphone to Monitor Insulin Levels

A device developed by University of Virginia School of Medicine researchers to automatically monitor and regulate blood sugar levels in people with type 1 diabetes will undergo final testing in two clinical trials beginning early this year. The device consists of a reconfigured smartphone running advanced algorithms, linked wirelessly with a blood glucose monitor and an insulin pump, and communicating with Internet services in real time. The system's developers intend for it to monitor and regulate blood-sugar levels automatically, report to a remote-monitoring site, and link the user with assistance via telemedicine as needed. This would save users from having to stick their fingers to check their glucose levels multiple times a day and eliminate the need for countless syringes to inject insulin manually.