The device reads the patient's blood sugar levels and uses an algorithm to determine the amount of insulin that should be administered to keep the level steady.
According to its developers, the technology is much more effective at managing blood sugar levels than current devices and requires far less input than at present.
“Having machines monitor and deliver medication for diabetes patients sounds quite sci-fi-like, but when you think of it, technology and machines are part and parcel of how we live our lives every day,” said Professor Partha Kar, NHS national speciality adviser for diabetes.
He explained the device picks up the patient’s glucose levels via a sensor under the skin, sends the reading across to a delivery system – the pump – and then the system kicks in to assess how much insulin the person needs.
The new artificial pancreas, which is being manufactured by several firms, uses a “hybrid closed loop system” to continually monitor blood...