[Diabetes-talk] TALKING insulin pumps

Sat Apr 11 13:28:14 UTC 2009

i really admire this website the NFB and all involved in the hope of 
gettting the audio insulin pump.
Debbie
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Anspach" <danspach at tampabay.rr.com>
To: "'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, April 10, 2009 12:26 PM
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] TALKING insulin pumps


> 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
>> _______________________________________________
>> Diabetes-talk mailing list
>> Diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> Diabetes-talk:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/ebryant
>> %40soc
>> ket.net
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Diabetes-talk mailing list
>> Diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> Diabetes-talk:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/dianefi
>> lipe%40peoplepc.com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Diabetes-talk mailing list
> Diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Diabetes-talk:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/danspach%40ta
> mpabay.rr.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> Diabetes-talk mailing list
> Diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Diabetes-talk:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/k7uij%40panix
> .com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Diabetes-talk mailing list
> Diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Diabetes-talk:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/danspach%40ta
> mpabay.rr.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> Diabetes-talk mailing list
> Diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> Diabetes-talk:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/catdancing%40sbcglobal.net