CareMedi Creates the Patch-Type Insulin Pump with Silicon Labs Wireless IoT Technology
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- 1.5 times greater drug capacity compared to conventional patch pumps.
- 11-mm thickness and 20-g weight for comfortable wearing.
- IP48 rating waterproof design to support comfortable daily activities as well as various outdoor activities.
The landscape of diabetes management is undergoing a revolution, driven by a surging demand for secure, reliable, and wireless continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices that can seamlessly integrate with patients’ lives, propelling advancements in patch-type insulin pump technology. CareMedi, an innovative medical IoT company based in Korea, saw an opportunity to improve the insulin pump market as the landscape of connected health devices started to evolve.
Although the evolution of insulin delivery devices has come far from the first insulin pump introduced in the late 1970s, many conventional patch-type insulin pumps still often fall short of addressing persistent issues faced by people with diabetes—such as inaccurate insulin infusion, bulky and cumbersome designs, high energy consumption, and exorbitant costs.
This is where CareMedi’s CareLevo steps in, a revolutionary wearable design poised to redefine the paradigm for insulin pump users. Controlled by a user-friendly smartphone app, CareLevo is the world’s first patch-type insulin pump with a 3mL drug reservoir with a drug injection accuracy of within ±5% using an ultra-small, low-power, electroosmotic pump developed with CareMedi’s original PEOP electro-osmosis pump technology. The electroosmotic pump is driven by applying a voltage to both ends of a porous membrane. By prioritizing precise and accurate insulin infusion, a longer usage cycle, enhanced economic efficiency, and increased ease of use, this breakthrough technology can significantly improve the quality of life for people with diabetes.
The Challenge
CareMedi wants to offer its customers access to a patch-type insulin pump with a 3mL drug reservoir with a drug injection accuracy of within ±5% using an ultra-small, low-power, electroosmotic pump developed with CareMedi's original core technology.
The Solution
CareMedi integrated support for Silicon Labs’ wireless SoC and module, BG22, to build a flexible, reliable, and wireless controlled patch-type insulin pump that seamlessly integrates with diabetes patients’ lives. The BG22 enables diverse functionality, precise control of insulin fluids, and improved battery life for patch-type insulin pump.
The Result
Silicon Labs supports CareMedi customers in developing its first wearable insulin patch pump, CareLevo, by providing materials necessary for design and delivering prompt technical support, which expedited time to market. Incorporating the BG22 in the device provides users with unprecedented flexibility and control over their insulin infusion without sacrificing energy efficiency, comfort, and affordability. These benefits support the development of new user-friendly and reliable medical devices to help people with diabetes live happier lives.
The Role of Silicon Labs in Connected Health IoT Solutions
CareMedi recently integrated Silicon Labs’ versatile BG22 Bluetooth SoC in its CareLevo device, making it the lightest and thinnest metering pump system with wireless control on the market. The BG22 played a crucial role in improving CareLevo’s battery capability by 30 percent. With low-power technology, this light, thin wearable pump system can deliver 3 mL (300 units) of drug with a power consumption within 3 mA·h.
Many connected health device providers, like CareMedi, rely on Silicon Labs’ IoT solutions to pioneer the next generation of innovative medical devices because we offer the lowest power consumption Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) SoCs on the market and have the smallest form-factor design of 4 x 4 millimeters for connected health applications. When integrating the BG22, Silicon Labs helped provide the necessary materials for design and offered prompt technical support to CareMedi.
As a global leader in IoT, Silicon Labs’ high transmission power and superior receiver sensitivity help ensure reliable connectivity and maintain high data rates with fewer retransmissions to channel capacity and save power. Silicon Labs stands as a valuable partner for medical device companies that strive to make healthcare technology more accessible and improve lives around the world.
CareMedi Unlocks Wireless Insulin Pump Device Potential
CareMedi’s CareLevo is powered by a 3mL insulin patch pump based on CareMedi’s core technology, efficiently providing precise and accurate
insulin infusion volume through a smartphone app. This innovative electroosmotic pump has a drug capacity that is 1.5 times greater than that of conventional patch pumps with a 2mL drug capacity. This longer usage cycle particularly benefits insulin pump users because it enhances the device’s economic efficiency.
Furthermore, unlike bulky and uncomfortable existing patch-type insulin patches, the CareLevo has a thin and lightweight design for added comfort in everyday life with a 11-millimeter thickness and 20-gram weight. The CareLevo device also has a waterproof design that can allow insulin pump users to enjoy leisure activities, showers, outdoor activities, swimming, and more while wearing this product. This feature enables the device to easily be attached to the arm or abdomen while supporting comfortable daily activities and can significantly improve a diabetes patient’s quality of life.
Additionally, the CareLevo app and website will enable insulin pump users to conveniently control their blood glucose levels. This benefit will extend beyond user convenience and impact the broader landscape of continuous glucose monitoring as healthcare providers will be able to easily access blood glucose readings and infusion histories to determine patients’ insulin volumes.
The Future of Intelligent Insulin Pump Solutions
Silicon Labs’ BG22 holds a critical role in enabling insulin pump device innovation and addressing critical challenges in the connected health industry, such as inaccurate insulin infusion, uncomfortable and impractical designs, low energy efficiency, and steep costs. By working closely with partners like CareMedi, Silicon Labs supports the development of user-friendly and reliable connected health devices that provide precise and accurate insulin infusion. CareMedi’s CareLevo insulin patch is currently under development and is scheduled to launch domestically in Korea starting in the second half of 2024. FDA approval in the United States is scheduled to be completed in 2025, and CE approval in Europe is anticipated in 2026.
Silicon Labs is proud to help enhance the quality of life for diabetes patients by providing solutions for user-friendly, intelligent insulin pump devices. We look forward to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in medical IoT.