Tag: Diabetes

AgaMatrix WaveSense Keynote

AgaMatrix Keynote

Bernard Farrell, a blogger and diabetic, has posted a short video showing his use of a new blood glucose meter, the WaveSense Keynote, from AgaMatrix. I am not familiar with AgaMatrix or its products but being new to diabetes I am learning new things each day. Thanks to bloggers like Bernard and Amy Tenderich.

I browsed AgaMatrixs web site but could not find any information on availability in the USA. As a tech geek and a person with diabetes I would very much like to get my hands on this device. I have been using the excellent FreesStyle Flash from Abbott Laboratories and have been eying the now approved FreeStyle Lite but the WaveSense Keynote looks very cool ( can any medical device be described that way?) kind of like an MP3 player.

UPDATE: I found the meter and test strip on the Allegro Medical Supplies web site for around $60 and ordered one right away.

AgaMatrix Keynote

The buzz around the device appears to be its patented error correction technology, WaveSense. WaveSense corrects for "Environmental conditions such as altitude and/or temperature when the sample is taken" as well as user errors such as insufficient blood sample.

AgaMatrix also provides Zero-Click™ Data Management Software for downloading data from the device and "provides dynamic reports that allow you to spot trends in your numbers."

People with diabetes use iPods.

Amy Tenderich, author of the Diabetes Mine web log, wrote an open letter to Steve Jobs requesting his help in getting diabetes device manufacturers to incorporate more industrial design in their products. Diabetes test and monitoring devices tend to be bulky and ugly. The kind of thing you'd expect Microsoft to design.
Some of the Mac focused web logs and tech news sites have picked up the story and open discussion is underway. This is what I think Amy expected. In her follow up post she interviews a Stanford Postdoctoral Fellow, Joel Goldsmith, who worked at Medtronic and provides some insight into how out of touch the device makers are.

Mr Goldsmith says:

What's funny is that these companies tend to think that people with diabetes are somehow not the same people as those buying iPods and Nintendos and Razor phones. Why would they feel any less strongly about design issues? If they have to live with these devices 24⁄7, why wouldn't they feel even stronger about it?

Some in the community have suggested that hearing aids might be a better place to start. I disagree. My boss wears a hearing aid and no one notices until he tells them. My assortment of lancets, test strips, needles, and a meter is always noticed.

-- NOTE: I have posted this over on my diabetes web site.

Review of Calorie King Nutrition and Exercise Manager

I had every intention of writing a review of the Calorie King Nutrition and exercise manager but then ....well...I got busy with other things and now I have lost the motivation and interrest.

The salient features of the software are:

  • record everything you eat - The software has a nutrional database of over 50,000 food items including restaurant fare.
  • Nutrional information for The database is routinely updated and the user can add his/her own custom items.
  • track sodium, saturated fat, cholesterol, calcium, and sugar, in addition to calories, total fat, carbs, protein, and fiber.
  • personal profile feature allows the user to tailor track eating habits againt personal health goals
  • Charts and graphs to track personal progress

If anyone is reading this then simply go to CalorieKing.com and download the trial software for your platform. I happen to use Mac OS-X. Personally, I think it's a great piece of software that can help anyone to track what they eat. It is not geared toward people with diabetes but certainly does help. What features would I like?

  • Ability to download my meter readings
  • A journal to record my insulin dosages
  • Charts and graphs so that I can see how blood glucose was affected by what I ate

Powered by Qumana