A Virtual Type 1 Diabetes Patient

Abstract

Diabetes is one of the most common diseases in the industrialized world, currently affecting more than 371 million people. Especially in the blood glucose regulation in type 1 diabetes, scientists have long been researching various ways to replace the missing and vitally necessary hormone insulin. As a result of the computer age, new opportunities have opened up to explore and develop different treatment methods. The goal is to use devices to mimic the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas, as well as to improve the overall quality of life of a type 1 diabetic. The systems that are currently available (artificial pancreas), which consist of a glucose sensor, a controller and an insulin pump, and are used for continuous insulin replacement, are still subject to many limitations. Even today there is no approved system which continuously and automatically regulates blood glucose levels without the need for patient involvement. A very useful tool for the development of systems such as the artificial pancreas are mathematical models that mimic the physiological behavior of a type 1 diabetic with the help of a suitable software. Such models allow for simulations of different insulin treatment scenarios for training purposes, as well as i.e. the testing of various components of the artificial pancreas previously mentioned. The results of such simulations can be very helpful for the planning and evaluation of clinical trials, with the long-term goal of developing an artificial pancreas. It can also save considerable time and money. The aim of this thesis is to develop a software (virtual type 1 diabetic patient) that provides for a user-friendly simulation in the range of seconds by using an appropriate mathematical type 1 diabetes model. The software will be constructed so that components such as a controller or glucose sensor can quickly be integrated or replaced in order to test them with the help of various simulations. This should enable a simple and accessible operation of the virtual diabetic with the help of a graphical user interface (GUI), without requiring the user to understand the software.