Diabetes apps and the DUKADA® Cap, making insulin pens smart and connected

Diabetes apps becomes more and more sophisticated. User of insulin pens asks for smart and connected solutions for their pens.

DUKADA was aware of this need when our first product was introduced in 2015. However, the technology was not ready for a truly smart solution with dose memory at that time.

This has changed, and our newest product – still only available as a prototype – connects injection pens with apps such as diabetes apps when it concerns insulin pens. Read here more about the smart DUKADA Cap.

The post below describes the characteristics of the different types of diabetes apps and their advantages.

We want to improve the daily life for people with diabetes  and make it possible to “live smart with diabetes”.

Our focus was on a timer for disposable insulin pens when DUKADA in 2015 presented its first product. DUKADA is a user-based company. Therefore, besides the timer, the first DUKADA Trio Cap have other user-friendly features. These are a stabilizing grip and illumination of the injection site when needed. These solutions are still needed.

However, we have taken an extra step – still focused on user needs.  The new product is a smart cap for insulin pens with IoT-features.

Read more about these and their benefits below.

Since 2015, eHealth and connectivity with apps have increased their importance. On the diabetes area, it began with glucometers and insulin pumps. These are by now often connected to diabetes apps. Now, the time has come for insulin pens. We think IoT-solutions here will set new standards for injections pens.

Some reusable insulin pens with IoT-solutions have already been presented. And some companies have presented early solutions for disposable pre-filled insulin pens. With our first focus on disposable injection pens we initially worked on IoT for the disposable pens. However, it turned out that our solution also fit reusable pens.

Our timing has been helpful. The necessary technologies have gradually improved since we presented our first product in 2015.

We have made a prototype of a connected version of a DUKADA Cap for injection pens, such as insulin pens. Our solution detects, stores and transfers data related to the time and the size of the doses injected as dialed. It is possible to give different types of user information and warnings tailored to the user.

The solution differs from what has been presented until now. Our IoT solution can be adapted to all types of injection pens (both for insulin and other medicines). In addition, it works on both reusable and disposable injection pens.

The solution transfers data related to the use of the injection pen wirelessly to for example a mobile phone. Then, on the mobile a diabetes app (if it concerns an insulin pen) receives and treats the information according to the specifications of the app.

There are quite a few diabetes apps on the market. In some cases, users must log data manually to benefit from the app. Other more advanced apps receive the information automatically (wirelessly). Our IoT-version transfers data automatically from insulin pens into more advanced apps.

In other words, our solution works as the important “missing link”. It sounds like a technical issue. However, there are many end-user benefits.

The benefits depend primarily on the apps connected to the injection pen.

Some diabetes apps just store the information received from the insulin pen. A first step is the storage of the time of injections and how much was injected each time. This is helpful in itself. The reason is that the user no longer needs to write a daily log book to keep track on what happens.

Moreover, the diabetes app is a convenient tool to share pen information with the doctor of the user.

It all makes it easier for the user to take actions and for the doctor to give advice based on facts.

The benefits increase when the diabetes apps receive information from other relevant devices. It could be glucose-meters.

Then, in the most advanced diabetes apps users of insulin pens benefit from something pointing into the direction of a “closed loop system”. These apps give  continuous advice to their users on how much and when to dose the insulin.

However, all the types of diabetes apps are important as they increase the quality of the treatment with injection pens.

DUKADA is a high-tech user-based company. Usability and ease of use are keywords for our design thinking.

We increased the number of user options with DUKADA Trio. The same goes for the connected version.

Read our blog on “Why it is a good idea to make your insulin pen smart”.