An estimated 8.7 million individuals worldwide live with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), a condition affecting the pancreas’ ability to make insulin. Automated Insulin Delivery systems, also known as Hybrid Closed Loop systems or Artificial Pancreas (AP) systems, are used to monitor and control unstable blood glucose levels. Left untreated, such blood glucose levels could have serious health problems for people with T1D, including damages to the heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. Studies from the Type 1 Diabetics Index suggest greater adoption of artificial pancreas systems as treatment for T1D could save 673,000 lives by 2040. However, many patients avoid these systems due to the inconvenience of carrying cumbersome on-body pancreas systems, which include an insulin pump and a glucose monitoring device. As a result, there is a growing demand for artificial pancreas systems with reduced size and improved user-centric features to enhance user adoption.
This study introduces a magnetorheological peristaltic micropump designed to deliver insulin in a compact, lightweight, portable, and energy-efficient manner– combating common issues with modern artificial pancreas systems. The pump is wirelessly controllable and built for durability, catering to the specific needs of T1D patients. A physics-based 3D simulation using COMSOL Multiphysics software and the Magneto-Solid-Fluid Interaction model were employed to evaluate its performance. Results show that the micropump achieves a flow rate of 3.08 μL per pumping cycle within 0.41 seconds under a magnetic field strength of 125 mT.
While primarily developed for insulin delivery, the micropump’s versatility extends to applications in micro-cooling systems, cell sorting, and various other fields requiring precise fluid control. This innovative approach addresses critical barriers to adopting artificial pancreas systems by offering a promising pathway to improve health outcomes for T1D patients while also enabling advancements in related technological domains.