A relatively well put together Bloomberg article about do-it-yourself closed-loop insulin delivery systems:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-08-08/the-250-biohack-that-s-revolutionizing-life-with-diabetes
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Thanks! I was just explaining to somebody at lunch yesterday that there were these closed loop systems. He was shocked that they have an existed for longer, and that they are not more widely implemented.
Also, I am shocked that the article states that there are only 2000 people out of 1.3 million type 1 diabetics who are using this type of technology. Do any of the closed loopers on here think that estimate is close to right? I thought there would be far more.
Has to be an estimate. How would they ever know the actual number? Track Craig’s List and eBay sales of older Medtronic 5 and 7 series pumps and RileyLinks? I don’t think anyone really knows the actual number.
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It’s a rough estimate based on the number of RileyLink devices sold (RileyLink is a custom hardware piece that makes a connection between iPhone and pump possible), and the number of people who responded to various online surveys. The biggest problem is that it is increasingly difficult to find a compatible pump (older generation Medtronic).
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I think this sentence in the article would be up for debate is totally wrong.
…and Medtronic’s latest FDA-approved product can now do most of the things the Farnsworths’ system can…
@dm61, @TiaG.
Do you think the 670G can really do what your system can do?
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I know what you mean 
But, I’ve not used 670G, so I really do not want to express any opinions about it or to make any comparisons. I can only say I am very happy with Loop and that in general I do not like closed systems where I’d not be able to make settings to my liking and where I’d not know how they operate.
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Two of the complaints I have heard most about the 670G are the black-box algorithms and the inability to set different targets. Those are deal-breakers for me on any system.
It will be interesting to see if the next two pump companies that get into the commercial space for looping (Tandem and Insulet) will follow that same model. It might be a requirement of the FDA. Who knows?
I know for sure the 670G cannot: provide remote access to CGM data, allow for microboluses for carbs eaten, or targeting of blood sugar to a number other than 120 or 150. So in that sense, no I don’t think 670G has all the capabilities we have. then again, it probably doesn’t stop working every time the WiFi gets wonky either and it’s also waterproof.
The main drawback I see to the 670G is that it kicks people out of auto-mode when they’re too high because it doesn’t trust the sensor number…that’s a deliberate choice the FDA imposed because they thought people would get lulled into complacency when they’re high knowing the system was delivering insulin – and miss the earlier stages of DKA.
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the target thing I can see being a dealbreaker for you. But I met a woman whose boy was on the 670G at camp. She said he could cruise at 75,80 all night long with the system. So targeting 120 doesn’t seem to necessarily require you wind up at 120 in all cases. Something I don’t fully understand about the system…yet another one.
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31 posts were split to a new topic: Discussion of Tandem’s recently released Basal-IQ function
I think the issue is not that the 670G works for some. It clearly does. The issue is that it has too much “black box” methodology that doesn’t let the user get to their desired outcome. Hopefully the companies coming out after MDT choose less Black Box, and more user control.
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A post was merged into an existing topic: Discussion of Tandem’s recently released Basal-IQ function