My team and I recently had the amazing opportunity to present our Dual Hormone Artificial Pancreas to the brilliant minds at University of California, Davis‘s Introduction to Engineering Design (ENG 003) class! ‍

This project was all about tackling real-world problems. We chose to focus on the needs of young Type 1 diabetics, particularly the challenge of preventing hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) during sleep.

Why is this important? Type 1 diabetes can be life-threatening, especially for young children without experienced caregivers. Hypoglycemia is a serious complication, accounting for 2-5% of deaths in young patients.

The Dual Hormone Artificial Pancreas is a device designed for automatic insulin and glucagon delivery. Unlike bulky pumps from the past, we wanted this device to be compact and comfortable, similar to a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM).

Here’s how it works. The Arduino system acts as the brain, controlling two pumps for insulin and glucagon. The user input allows for manual dosing, while future iterations will integrate with a CGM through bluetooth for automated blood sugar monitoring and adjustments.

This is just the beginning! Our future plans include:
– Seamless CGM integration for real-time blood sugar monitoring.
– Bluetooth connectivity for automated dosing adjustments.
– User input for carbohydrate intake for precise insulin calculations.
– Scale down for ultimate wearability and portability.

A huge thank you to Professor Vivian Vuong, the teaching assistants, and UC Davis College of Engineering for their guidance and support throughout this incredible 10-week journey!

What are your thoughts on this project? Feel free to reach out to me regarding this.