Key facts
- A Chinese team has created a wearable device that combines a glucose sensor and insulin micropump.
- The prototype is designed to function as a fully autonomous mini artificial pancreas.
- The device has only been tested on mice.
- Current commercial systems typically require separate patches for glucose monitoring and insulin delivery.
- Shenzhen Pi’an Biomedical Technology Co., Ltd. is developing a closed-loop AID system.
- Pi’an Medical's system is expected to launch in China by the end of 2026.
Chinese scientists have developed a prototype wearable device that integrates a glucose sensor and an insulin micropump, aiming to create a fully autonomous artificial pancreas. This all-in-one, coin-sized device combines functions that are typically handled by separate patches in existing commercial diabetes management systems.
The new prototype has so far only undergone testing on mice. The researchers believe this integrated approach paves the way for next-generation diabetes care.