Has anyone ever hacked a glucometer? one of those electronic devices into which u insert a blood sample on a strip and it gives u your blood sugar levels.. i would love to know more about the working of it in detail.. is it worth buying and opening one up? 
Why? What is it you want to accomplish?
is it worth buying and opening one up?
depends on how much money you can waste.
The cheap glucometers seem to go in the $7-$15 range. It's the chemical test strips that end up costing you an arm and a leg.
mmm.. I wanna build an improvised glucometer that can remotely communicate its data to a computer using GSM. or perhaps something like this.. http://www.gizmowatch.com/entry/hearty-usb-glucometer-promises-wonders/
Each vial of strips comes with a small device (sort of like an SD card) that calibrates the meter with the batch of strips. Mine also gives me some simple averages for the past week, month, etc. It keeps all the glucose levels and date/time for them in memory and can store a bunch of readings so you can cycle through them. The amount of memory probably varies by model.
I don't really have a need for anything that does any more than the device already does. There are some insulin pumps out there than can communicate with a computer, by the way.
A device that could measure blood sugar without using the strips would be a godsend for many. The strips are expensive; the process of pricking a finger to get the drop of blood is a pain. Most insurance companies only approve testing twice a day unless you're really fragile, so a method to test "on the fly" without drawing blood or using a strip would be great.
So, is it worth buying a meter and tearing it apart to figure out how it works? If you're the one who will eventually spark the breakthrough that will lead to better testing, it certainly is worth the cost.
I've had a few meters - one of which had an IR port on it which allowed me to upload my data to my laptop. I never did.
The one I use these days has a cartidge of test strips inside, so I don't have to carry a separate container of strips. It has a memory whcih keeps more than enough readings for me to review. Though I never do.
I get given my glucose meters by my doctor. The manufacturers want to tie you in to using their test strips so give them away.
For long term glucose levels, my doctor extracts some blood and does a test which reveals the 3 month average of blood glucose levels. I can't see them changing from this anytime soon.
The meter shown on gizmo watch is all well and good, but you still have to carry the test strips and finger pricker.
At $10 or so its hardly going to break the bank to have a look inside. The actual measurement is likely to be analogue, but processor controller, so could be reverse engineered. You could them put in any processor you like with any interface you like. How about a wifi glucose meter?
The measurement seems to work with the following steps:
- allow a set period of time after the blood is applied
- light an LED
- wait a set period
- take a reading
I guess the chemicals in the test strips change colour wirh glucose. How it works doewsn't matter as long as you take the same steps at the right time.
Mike
Thanks mike a great detailed answer. I was just toying with the idea of telemedicine and was thinking such a device could be of great use in remote inaccessible parts where access to doctors is scarce. To communicate data to a remote doctor and get some input could be of great help. But the strip would still prove to be a challenge in terms of resupplying. any ideas anyone how it can be done without the strip. I read somewhere of mid range ir being used... whats a mid range IR and can we generate some of this mi-range stuff with normal ir transmitters?
cheers,
pracas