Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue

1. A tissue penetrating system, comprising:

a plurality of cartridges each with a distal port and a proximal port;

a plurality of penetrating members each coupled to a cartridge and a penetrating member driver, each penetrating member having a sharpened distal tip and a shaft portion slidably disposed within the cartridge;

a plurality of analyte sensors each being associated with a penetrating member;

a seal formed by a fracturable material between the penetrating member and the cartridge, the seal being positioned at least one of a distal port or a proximal port of the cartridge and

a penetrating member position sensor coupled to the penetrating member driver, the position sensor utilizing position information of the each of a penetrating member to determine a depth of penetration through a skin surface.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a penetrating member sensor coupled to the plurality of penetrating members, the penetrating member sensor configured to provide information relative to a depth of penetration of a penetrating member through a skin surface.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the depth of penetration is 100 to 2500 microns.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the depth of penetration is 500 to 750 microns.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the penetrating member sensor is further configured to provide an indication of velocity of a penetrating member.

6. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:

a second penetrating member sensor configured to provide an indication of velocity of a penetrating member.

7. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:

a feedback loop coupled to the penetrating member sensor.

8. The system of claim 2 , wherein the penetrating member driver is an electric drive force member.

9. The system of claim 2 , wherein the penetrating member driver is a voice coil drive force generator.

10. The system of claim 2 , wherein the penetrating member sensor is coupled to a processor with control instructions for the penetrating member driver.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor includes a memory for storage and retrieval of a set of penetrating member profiles utilized with the penetrating member driver.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is utilized to monitor position and speed of a penetrating member as the penetrating member moves in a first direction.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is utilized to adjust an application of force to a penetrating member to achieve a desired speed of the penetrating member.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is utilized to adjust an application of force to a penetrating member when the penetrating member contacts a target tissue so that the penetrating member penetrates the target tissue within a desired range of speed.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is utilized to monitor position and speed of a penetrating member as the penetrating member moves in the first direction toward a target tissue, wherein the application of a launching force to the penetrating member is controlled based on position and speed of the penetrating member.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the processor is utilized to control a withdraw force to the penetrating member so that the penetrating member moves in a second direction away from the target tissue.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein in the first direction the penetrating member moves toward the target tissue at a speed that is different than a speed at which the penetrating member moves away from the target tissue.