LG KP8400 cellphone with blood tester for diabetics

In an unusual, but sensible, marriage of technologies, LG has released the KP8400 cellphone that doubles as a blood test for diabetics.  The phone includes a tester into which users can place a blood test drop on a strip, place the strip in a special reader on the phone (located near the phone's battery pack), and get insulin and blood readings on the phone display.  Readings can then be uploaded to an online database for retrieval later on.  Because of the added technology the rest of the phone isn't anything to write home about, but it's more than sufficient: 262k color TFT display, CIF camera, and 64 voice polyphonic sound.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:11AM]

They need to do one for STDs next. That'd be very useful for the general population.

I suppose a GATTACA version won't be far away. Who knows who will need a dna sample.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:11AM]

Already I know of a diabetic who uses a Treo 600 that interfaces with a separate blood testing unit. An important trend in healthcare is the support for treatment of chronic disease. Data can be accumulated on a daily basis and then the physician can review a summary.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:11AM]

It's really nice to see companies using their heads and leveraging existing devices. Speaking from personal experience and opinion (24+ years of type 1 diabetes), it seems that all of the stand alone blood glucose monitoring units consist of the same "base features": You have the mechanics for reading the sample, a display for showing information to the user and some buttons for user interaction.

So many of the devices we use everyday have two out of three of those features (display and buttons), just lacking the mechanics to read the sample, and with most of these devices (phones, PDA's, etc) having some type of connection, either SD, USB, etc, it seems that companies could create modules that connect to those devices.

So far, I only know of one company that is doing this type of thing, and that is Therasense (www.therasense.com). They have a module that plugs into the older Handspring units, and they have recently released a device (the CoZmonitor) that clips onto the back of the Deltec Cozmo insulin pump and uses it's buttons and display. www.delteccozmo.com for more information.

It is critically important for diabetics to try to keep their blood sugars as close to normal as possible. This is a task that is easier said than done. I would like to see more companies leveraging the technology that exists today to make that job easier.

I would love to see this phone in the United States, if nothing more than to maybe prompt more of these companies into action...??

There are also many parents who might love to be able to have their school age children do a test and have the results emailed to them or uploaded and posted somewhere, then be able to call them if there is need for concern or action (eat something or take an adjustment bolus, etc.). There are a few meters that do this now, but they are much bigger and "bulkier" than this phone appears to be.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:11AM]

Please tell me where y can buy this product.

Thanks

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:11AM]

Ok, IF this thing actually tests Insulin levels i the blood, then I think they have a winner, and I want one.

I've been on a low carb diet , per my physician, and I am insulin resistant; I really could use such a meter. Many others may benifit from this one feature.

Please respond

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:11AM]

Ok, IF this item ACTUALLY test for a blood Insulin level it would be very usefull to me.

I am insulin resistant, and per my physician am on a low carb diet: I must keep my insulin levels low.

Please respond

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:11AM]

Ok, IF this thing actually tests Insulin levels i the blood, then I think they have a winner, and I want one.

I've been on a low carb diet , per my physician, and I am insulin resistant; I really could use such a meter. Many others may benifit from this one feature.

Please respond

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:11AM]

Hi.
Thanks for the good news.
But please tell me where I can buy this produkt.
I think I really need it.
It would be a better way to remember my diabetic.


Thanks.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 9th 2008 6:16PM]

Hi,
CellPhone KP8400, a cell phone + a blood test in 1.
That sounds great.
Does anyone tried this device ? Is it reliable enough ?
Thanks in advance for sharing your experience.
Peter