Will the first Cyborgs be diabetics?

Will the first Cyborgs be diabetics?

Cyborgs have long been scary monsters of science fiction, but could these amalgamations of humans and machines actually be our neighbors and loved ones? There have been prosthetic limbs since Ancient Rome, but with the FDA’s Approval of the first artificial pancreas the prospect of a human machine hybrid took a giant step forward last fall. The MiniMed670 from Medtronic is a wholly automated closed loop system that actively monitors the blood glucose levels and deliver insulin on demand with little to no input from the user. At least little no no conscious input at least. The system is designed to function in a completely automated fashion, however users can request additional insulin to compensate for an extra carbohydrate heavy meal. Many type 1 diabetics have worn glucose monitors and insulin pumps for years, but what sets the MiniMed670 apart are complex algorithms it uses to personalize the insulin dose to each user. The system “gets to know” each user during an initial configuration that takes place during the first few days after it is implanted. This smooths the glucose highs and lows users of more traditional systems often experience, and since 75% of diabetic seizures occur at night it makes sleep much less of a nightmare for patients and parents of patients alike. Okay maybe the MiniMed670 is more like a bionic enhancement to restore the normal function of a normal pancreas, but the implications are enormous!