[Diabetes-talk] TALKING insulin pumps

Fri Apr 10 17:26:39 UTC 2009

Hi Mike, 
Ok, I'll grant you that I didn't take into consideration of the actual
research and development costs involved in adding speech capabilities to an
insulin pump. Man! I can't get anything by you in this on-going discussion,
huh? <grin>

I have an uncle who lives in Indiana and is a retired electrical engineer.
I'm going to try and e-mail him over the weekend and hypothetically ask
about what it might take to modify the design of a device, such as an
insulin pump. I know he won't be able to give me a cost, but at least he
might be able to shed more light on the process of modifying an existing
hardware design.

As for the speech capabilities of an insulin pump, the things it will need
to do really aren't that complex. You should be able to repeat the last
block of text etc. that was verbalized via the synthesizer with the press of
a button, sort of like on the Prodigy Voice meter. The pump should  also be
able to automatically speak text or graphics that are displayed to the
screen as a result of user interaction, making a setting change, or from an
alarm.

I think that you really highlighted the two biggest issues, though. First,
much of the info that gets displayed to the screen is graphical in nature.
While not necessarily impossible to overcome, this does present more
challenges than just speaking text. If you think about it, much of the
information we read while  using our PC's is graphical in nature. Screen
readers have become smart enough to decipher these graphics and then speak
that information. Second is the cost factor or economy of scale. Since we
are a small segment of diabetics, adding speech to an insulin pump will
definitely not be a priority for most pump  manufacturers. I'm sure that
they will have to put a lot of R & D money into it and then not get as much
profit as they would like. This is why I think DDI is  awesome in that they
are willing to design a pump with the blind in mind. Often, the true
difference makers in today's business environment aren't necessarily the
companies who make the most money. Instead, they are the companies that see
a need, such as ours, and fulfill that with a new product. Perhaps I'm
dreaming, but I honestly think it will take a company like DDI to show the
entire industry that an accessible insulin pump is definitely an obtainable
goal.

In the end, we simply cannot give up on seeing an accessible insulin pump
come to the market.  The NFB just used the "butterfly effect" RECENTLY TO
promote ONE OF OUR CAMPAIGNS, the name of which now escapes me. Anyway, it
takes just one person to affect change. I think there are a large number of
us here on this list that are more than willing to help out in any way we
can to help bring an accessible pump to the market. 

Oh, I suppose I can concede that taking insulin via an injection is much,
much easier, but then again who said life was supposed to be easy? <grin>.

Dave

-----Original Message-----
From: diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mike Freeman
Sent: Tuesday, April 07, 2009 11:51 PM
To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] TALKING insulin pumps

Dave:

In saying that text-to-speech is so cheap, you're ignoring the programming
cost to implement it. This includes not only the direct programming cost but
the cost of changing interface designs to work with speech. Most people
don't realize it but an awful lot of thought has gone into screen-readers --
all of them -- to ensure that the information on the screen is presented in
a way that is intelligible with speech.

One of the problems with many pumps is that a great deal of the information
on many of them is presented graphically. I'm not saying it has to be this
way but we're talking about what is, not what ought to be. And companies are
loath to rework their entire designs to accommodate a small minority -- that
is, us.

I'm not saying it can't be done nor am I saying that it wouldn't be the
right thing to do morally. What I am saying is that the marketplace truly
drives this stuff -- that and the fact that very often, we, the blind, don't
know exactly what information we want and how it should be presented.

So while I share your indignation, it ain't as simple as one might reckon!

Er, um, injections are a lot simpler!

Mike Freeman

----- Original Message -----
From: "David Anspach" <danspach at tampabay.rr.com>
To: "'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, April 06, 2009 7:30 PM
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] TALKING insulin pumps

Hello Di,
When you say the Animas  pump has more audible features, what exactly do 
you
mean? Do you happen to have their web site address handy?

I have been using a Medtronic/Minimed pump for nearly 5 years. Like you,
they don't seem to want to hear anything I have to say about building
accessibility into their pumps. This all just seems to fall on deaf ears
each time I talk about it with anyone from their company. They just say
something like "Oh, we are not looking at adding accessibility, but just
wait until you see the other new features we are adding to our pumps." 
While
this might be great to someone who is sighted, it does absolutely 
nothing
for those of us who are blind and trying to take advantage of the 
greater
control using a pump supposedly affords a diabetic. I am ready to either 
go
back to injections, or switch to another manufacturer who might have a 
more
accessible pump.

I know one thing for sure, when the new DDI pump hits the market with 
it's
synthesizer built-in, even if it is just a small start, I will jump ship 
as
fast as I can. I'm sick and tired of dealing with a company who simply 
will
not take a look at adding synthesizes, text-to-speech technology into 
their
pumps. There is absolutely no reason why they cannot add this 
functionality
while they are redesigning their pumps to accommodate the other new 
features
they are so excited about. I know that the money really speaks to what
features get added, but text-to-speech is so cheap to implement these 
days,
that they really don't have a leg to stand on.

Ok, I promise that I'm done venting for a while, now where's that tall, 
cold
can of Coors Light with the vented mouth?? <lol>

Dave

-----Original Message-----
From: diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Diane
Sent: Monday, April 06, 2009 8:06 PM
To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] TALKING insulin pumps

DDI has been the leader so far in even trying to get a pump for us blind
folk.
MedTronic refuses to listen to me anymore, so I told them I am taking my
business elsewhere, and I am getting an Animas shortly (the next best 
thing
until DDi comes through victoriously as it has a large screen and more 
audio
options!)
Don't worry y'all...the entire world will know!!!
Di
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ed Bryant" <ebryant at socket.net>
To: "'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, April 06, 2009 1:23 PM
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] insulin pumps

> Hi Debbie,
>
> I know an insulin pump is being worked on which will have a voice
> synthesizer. I cannot give details right now and don't know how long
> the insulin pump with the voice will take but this list will be kept
posted.
>
> Regards,
> Ed Bryant
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of catdancing
> Sent: Monday, April 06, 2009 9:29 AM
> To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
> Subject: [Diabetes-talk] insulin pumps
>
> has anyone on here ever heard of an insulin pump for the visually
> impaired?
> if so could u let me know what it is and where to find it.
> a friend of mine also a type 1 said a place called ammis. com made
> them but i couldn't find any such item on their web page.
> has anyone any ideas?
> Debbie
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