DIABETES THERAPY TRAINING DEVICE
A portable device ( 20 ) for educating a user in diabetes management includes a display ( 26 ) presenting a user interface to provide a virtual patient ( 28 ) having diabetes and depicted as an avatar having the form of a boy or girl. A health status ( 30 ) is indicated by a bar graph ( 32 ). The user interface presents a feeding control ( 40 ) for providing food or drinks to the virtual patient; an exercise control ( 38 ) for causing the virtual patent to exercise; and a medication control for providing medication to the virtual patient. Each of the controls causing a corresponding change in the health status of the virtual patient having type-1 diabetes. An injection training application ( 34 ) is provided for teaching injection techniques. A testing training application ( 36 ) allows the user to check one or more health parameters of the virtual patient. Other applications, such as exercise and diet logging applications and an activities checklist are included as well.
1 . A portable device for educating a user in diabetes management, comprising:
a housing having a display presenting a user interface;
software running on the device providing a virtual patient having diabetes on the display and having a health status indicated on the user interface;
a feeding control on the user interface for providing food to the virtual patient;
an exercise control on the user interface for causing the virtual patent to exercise; and
a medication control on the user interface for providing medication to the virtual patient.
2 . The portable device for educating a user in diabetes management as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said software running on the device presents an avatar graphically representing the virtual patient on the user interface.
3 . The portable device for educating a user in diabetes management as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said software running on the device further includes an injection training application to teach injection techniques.
4 . The portable device for educating a user in diabetes management as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said injection training application includes injection controls for administering an injection to injection sites on a body of the virtual patient.
5 . The portable device for educating a user in diabetes management as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said software running on the device further includes an activities checklist.
6 . The portable device for educating a user in diabetes management as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said software running on the device further includes an exercise logging application.
7 . The portable device for educating a user in diabetes management as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said software running on the device further includes a diet logging application.
8 . The portable device for educating a user in diabetes management as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said health status of the virtual patent is represented by a bar graph on said user interface.
9 . The portable device for educating a user in diabetes management as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said health status of the virtual patent is represented by a facial expression or body language of the virtual patient on said user interface.
10 . The portable device for educating a user in diabetes management as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said health status of the virtual patent is a general health level.
11 . The portable device for educating a user in diabetes management as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said health status of the virtual patent is a blood sugar level.
12 . The portable device for educating a user in diabetes management as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said software running on the device further includes a testing training application for checking a health parameter of the virtual patient.
13 . The portable device for educating a user in diabetes management as set forth in claim 12 , wherein said health parameter of the virtual patient includes a blood sugar level.
14 . The portable device for educating a user in diabetes management as set forth in claim 12 , wherein said health parameter of the virtual patient includes a ketone level.
15 . The portable device for educating a user in diabetes management as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said software provides the user with a reward as an incentive for successful use of the device.