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Living with Diabetes more easily

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A smartphone to help manage diabetesDiabetes medication

People with diabetes need to take extra care with what they eat, and what activity they do on a daily basis. The challenge is to keep their blood glucose level under control by choosing the right diet, activity and medication. So we are using existing and emerging technology to improve the lives of people with diabetes. We are joining up different components to monitor and analyse the condition of people with diabetes.

At Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen we are using mobile phones and wireless sensors, combined with computer models of how the body works, to help people with diabetes to manage their own condition more effectively. Empowering them to get the right level of food and medication needed to match the activities of each day. This work could also change the way healthcare professionals treat diabetes and help them to help people with diabetes to manage their condition more effectively and easily.

My podcasts will take you inside the day of someone with diabetes, and look at how technology can help make their life better. What do you think science sounds like now?

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PROFILE

Dr Richard Butler

Director of Postgraduate Studies, School of Engineering, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen

In 1996 my five year old daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. I wanted to help her manage the condition and so in my personal time I worked on a mathematical model and computer simulation. The aim of this work was to forecast her blood glucose level, and other metabolic parameters in advance and allow her to attain better control of her condition.

I realised that my success in this work could be relevant for other people with diabetes. Since then, with support from health care professionals, I have been building technical and commercial teams to develop this model further and to commercialise this work. Current research is focused on the design and development of software and mobile devices to empower people with chronic conditions such as diabetes and obesity to understand, self-manage, and better control their conditions.

I am a senior lecturer in the School of Engineering at Robert Gordon University and I have an honours degree (BEng) in Electronic Engineering and a PhD.