'Bionic Pancreas' Astonishes Diabetes Researchers

A "bionic pancreas” that uses a smart phone, glucose monitor and insulin pump to automatically control blood sugar levels helped more than two dozen people live free of finger pricks and other troublesome reminders of diabetes, researchers reported Sunday.

And the system controlled their blood sugar levels far better than they could have done on their own, the researchers told a meeting of the American Diabetes Association.

“I was astonished at how well it worked in a real-world setting,” said Ed Damiano of Boston University, who worked on the project.

It’s finally offering a tantalizing glimpse at a normal life for people with Type 1 diabetes, often called juvenile diabetes.

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/diabetes/bionic-pancreas-astonishes-diabetes-researchers-n130956