I keep saying that design matters. Well lately I've been thinking about what I would do if I could redesign the insulin pump. I know that engineering matters first, but for this exercise, let's assume that the engineering works. At this point I'm interested in what I would actually change to make an insulin pump better. Better to live with. Better to interact with. Better integration into everyday, 24/7 living. What doesn't work? What bugs the crap out of me. What is the actual design problem?
A friend of mine who's an accomplished designer put it perfectly. Don't focus on the solution. Define the problem. So that's what I'm going to do. I want to create a design brief for the people who could do something about this. It takes the identification of the problem for the problem to be solved. It takes a picture first to make a change. It takes a request before anything will evolve. It could be fun. It will definitely be cathartic. And who knows what could come of it. You just never know unless you try.
And if anyone has any thoughts about design issues or annoyances or problems they've experienced in with the pump, I'd love to hear them. I'm interested in aesthetic issues, user issues (like readability or tube snagging or function navigation etc.), as well as integration issues (like how easy or difficult it is to wear with clothes, like dresses for instances, or the clip, it's size, the hardness of it etc.). Since I'm only one person I have only one experience. Any other insights you might have would be great. Plus how cool would it be to turn the silent endurance of these issues into a healthy and positive conversation. A conversation that could, very possibly, bring about a change!
Thanks for the image from skiingutah.
I like my Cozmo pump, but I have found it to be extremely important that when I clip the pump onto my clothes, the tubing MUST leave the pump from the bottom. In this way bubbles that form in the cartridge do not leave via the infusion line but remain in the pump. In this way I avoid bubbles being delivered rather than insulin! Maybe for others small bubbles are unimportant, b/c their insulin amount is larger, but I only take 14U per day. For me bubbles cause trouble. For children who use small quantities of insulin, bubbles cause trouble. Bubbles are another element that can mess up our calculations. So I want two things: One - the clip on the pump carrying case should allow us to position the pump as we desire - for me this would mean that the line leaves the pump from the bottom so that if a bubble has formed it will NOT go into the line. Secondly, I want to be able to easily SEE the bubbles if they do get into the infusion line. Why couldn't the air make the plastic turn RED so you easily see a bubble? Manufacturers should remember that many diabetics do not have the best vision. Help us see the bubbles in the line - or figure out a way of preventing them from happening. A third point is that the text on the pump screen is sometimes not easily read. To read the text it is necessary to remove the pump from its carrying case b/c the transparent plastic window of the case reduces visibility. Use a plastic in the window screen that enhances rather than decreases visibility. Some plastics are so hard to read through due to reflections on the surface. It is such a nuisance to have to continually remove the pump from its case!
Posted by: Chrissie in Belgium | March 10, 2007 at 11:34 PM
I have a paradigm 515 and I don't like the small creases in the pump. They collect grime, and it is disgusting. I want my pump to look beautiful without having to get a toothpick or nail file to clean out dead skin cells.
Posted by: Sarah | March 11, 2007 at 10:25 AM
I wear a Cozmo pump. I love being a pumper. It has improved my control but not solved the "brittle" problems... As to re-design: I would love to be able to carry it somewhere other than a pocket. I WANT TO WEAR A DRESS AGAIN!!! The Cozmo has a glucose meter attached, IT'S GREAT but bulky. And I have no way to attach a strap or hook to it as the outside is smooth and has no slot or hole to hook to like so many digital cameras. Digging the pump out of my bra at chuch to check my blood sugars IS NOT AN OPTION! I find the thigh pouches UNCOMFORTABLE and annoying after 8+ hours at work... A way to hook it to a strap or affix to the outside of a dress would be fantastic.
Also if it was softer somehow at night. I sleep in a nightgown and found if I park it in my armpit it bothers me the least. The only thing I've found it use is Pump Wear's Bra-Pouch Pack but the garter hooks are frustrating.
As to the bubble problem expressed by Chrissie in Belgium--I squeeze out all but the last bubble when I fill the insulin cartridge. When I load the cartridge I make sure the bubble is at the top being the first thing to be pumped into the tubing. Thumping it with you finger while holding it straight up works. I watch the insulin enter the tubing when filling the tubing and follow the bubble out to the end. I never have bubbles in my infusion set this way. Also full the cartridge with room temperature insulin, it bubbles less. And fill the cartridge SLOWLY you will have fewer bubbles. I fill a months worth of cartridges at a time when I get my insulin and refrigerate them after filling.
Posted by: Lenna in Oregon | March 13, 2007 at 12:25 PM
Lena, Thanks for your kind help - BUT, BUT, BUT I do all those things already! I find that particularly in the summer bubbles can LATER form in the cartridge. Such bubbles can occur when the pump is jiggled around and due to temperature changes. I DO fill with room's temp insulin! Thanks for your advice anyhow. Keeping the pump upside down is just an additional safety measure which I have found works well!
Posted by: Chrissie in Belgium | March 14, 2007 at 03:55 AM
Lenna: I was told not to prefill cartridges as the plastic leeches the insulin. Have you ever had effectiveness issues?
Posted by: carol | March 15, 2007 at 07:46 AM
My 6 yr. old son uses the Minimed. I hate the tubing - gets snagged on things. If he forgets to clip it to his clothing I hear the pump hit the floor. Just read about the Omnipod. I like that design idea. No tubing, no chance for kinking.
Posted by: Maggie | March 15, 2007 at 08:12 AM
I'm not a pump user yet. I am still researching and looking for one with an EASY button.
Posted by: Florian | March 16, 2007 at 11:32 AM
One of the reasons I selected my pump - the Animas IR-1200 (which is now an older model) was because of the simplicity of the menus to program it. At the time, the Medtronic Minimed 508 was on the market and by comparison, the Animas pump was soooo much easier to use. I also appreciated the fact that the infusion sets used standard luer lock connection, rather than costly proprietary designs which was why I voted against the Paradigm.
Posted by: Scott | March 19, 2007 at 08:45 AM
I use the Minimed 522 with sensor - I have a Minimed wish list of things I want to see!
-rechargable battery. Develop a AAA sized battery pack that fits into the battery compartment.
-Screen face that is larger, easier to read. The glucose sensor screen is grainy and hard to read - and with the amount of data being collected and viewed would be nicer to have more of the face of the pump for the screen.
-colored infusion sets :)
-patterns on the adhesive pads ...spice it up a bit
-prefilled cartridges - eliminate bubbles.
.....I always have more ideas, I will think of more and add...
Posted by: Drea | March 19, 2007 at 09:08 AM
I agree on the colored infusion set lines! I thought I saw them somewhere once, and then I started pumping and now they are nowhere to be found...
I use the Tubeguard to keep my tubing from snagging and such, but it's got a horrible design, just this cheap-looking piece of molded plastic. I don't like the look of it on my belt.
http://www.infusion-set.com/Default.asp?ID=119
And yes, pre-filled insulin cartridges! Although I guess it would suck not to be able to fill them only partway (as I do, since I use about 30 units a day). I too am plagued by bubbles. And I absolutely HATE filling the cartridges. Worst chore ever. Sometimes I'll fill the next one the night before I have to change a set, just so I don't have to do it in the morning...(when I'm most grumpy).
Posted by: Jana | March 19, 2007 at 06:08 PM
If you want patterned/colored adhesives around your infusion site, check out:
http://www.groovypatches.com/index.php
This is for the Medtronic MiniMed QuickSet sites.
-Some things I would like for this particular pump would be a volume adjust button for the alarm sound. I would like to be able to turn up the volume when I am at work (a noisy place) and turn it down when I am at home, etc.
-Also, how in the heck do you wear a big, bulky pump with a dress when you are only 120 lbs., have no bra/cleavage to stick the pump into without it making it look like you have one square breast and one normal breast, and nowhere to clip it on to? Also, the thigh strap keeps sliding down my leg, so that isn't working either. Any other suggestions?!?
Posted by: Jill | March 22, 2007 at 01:06 AM
For those having troubles with persistent,latent bubbles in their syringes, I suggest a trick that works for me. After filling the syringe, leaving the needle in the vial of insulin and thumping it with a finger from your free hand to get most of the air bubble to rise, try striking the syringe smartly with a fairly heavy object. I typically use a tube/roll of deorderant. Any object about that size and weight will do the tick. It seems important to keep striking the syringe until you can't cause any more bubbles to rise to the top. Freqeuntly you'll see them emerge from around the seal of the plunger. I've used this trick for years with both the old Minimed syringes and now the Cosmo syringes. Works like a charm for me.
Posted by: David in Seattle | March 23, 2007 at 02:43 PM
I started a series of postings on my experiences with a loaner Dexcom. And let me tell you, there are several design shortcomings with this baby.
Overall it will probably succeed because the price is reasonable and there aren't many alternatives.
But there are so many ways it could be improved. For example, the sensor inserter is fairly primitive. And what a waste of plastic. Why is there so much waste associated with diabetes products?
The receiver is like the Model T. One color only - black. When are manufacturers going to come out with skins for these things?
Maybe the Boxwave folks will start to make FlexiSkin cases (http://www.boxwave.com/products/flexiskin/index.htm) for our pumps and the Dexcom receiver on other such things. At least we could pretend these things are attractive.
Here's hoping.
Posted by: Bernard Farrell | March 24, 2007 at 08:00 PM
I've been testdriving a minimed722 and feel that it was designed for somebody who is left handed. I'm righthanded and everytime i pull the pump out, grabbing onto the clip handles with my right hand and turning the pump to face me, i realize the pump is upside down. but if i grab it and do the same thing with my left hand then it's right side up. this has been driving me nuts. they should allow you to place the clip on whichever side you want.
Posted by: Jess | June 12, 2007 at 03:02 PM