/ Mark Frauenfelder / 9:21 am Mon Apr 26, 2010

Blood glucose meter attaches to Nintendo DS

Screen Shot 2010-04-26 At 9.19.37 Am Bayer introduced a blood glucose meter called the Didget, which connects to the Nintendo DS "to help kids manage their diabetes by positively reinforcing consistent blood glucose testing habits and awarding points that kids can use to unlock new game levels and customize their gaming experience. It comes with Knock ‘Em Downs: World’s Fair that includes a full length adventure game and mini game arcade."

Bayer Didget

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  5. I can’t wait to the the drug urine test version of this game. Different drugs could correspond to different power-ups:

    Meth = speed boost
    PCP = makes you invulnerable
    Mushrooms = mushrooms

  6. Is it just me, or is it a little, I dunno, *SAD* that Bayer thought this was marketable? It is marketable, but only because we’re devolving in beanbag chairs.

    1. Surely it’s marketable because kids are forgetful and giving them an incentive to check their blood glucose means they do it more frequently? Which is something parents and doctors would be happy with.

      I like it, it’s an example of what gets talked about a lot but rarely actually works, using computer games as a way to influence the real world in a positive way.

      1. I don’t know. It better be a good game or it’d suck to have to check your glucose *and* play a crappy game while doing it.

        1. PS. I see you don’t need to actually play the game to check your glucose but it’d still be kind of a downer instead of an incentive if the game sucks. Plus you can’t use it with one of the newer DS models since they don’t have the required cartridge slot.

        2. Yeah that would be terrible.

          Just though, how cool would it be to build biometric monitors into normal games as well? It would be awesome to be playing an FPS with a heart rate monitor on your finger that sped up your character and gave it better attributes as your HR changed. Of course this would lead to loads of people jacking themselves up on amphetamines to be better at the games and probably loads of deaths as well. It would be a really fun game for people who weren’t idiots though.

  7. I’m surprised Novo Nordisk weren’t already all over this idea. Their classic Captain Novolin could really do with an update…

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Novolin

    Take a moment to follow the links in the “see also” section, to check out some other questionable video games meant to teach kids about various medical conditions.

  8. So, as a marketing concept, its probably solid, because it’s likely that there exists a correlation between DS usage and incidents of childhood diabetes.

    Does the game enforce positive eating habits and life-style behaviors that could reduce the issues related to such a disease??? If not, that’s sad.

    And while we’re at it, why not a series of multi-console games that enforce such behaviors. Wii attempts such things, but where are the others?

    1. That’s what I’m talking about. If it weren’t for massive levels of childhood obesity and rising levels of juvenile diabetes (probably in part due to countless hours spent sitting around playing video games and watching TV)… we wouldn’t really need this. It’s neat- in the same way that designer bed-pans and gas-masks with customized graphics are neat.

      1. You say childhood obesity and the rise of juvenile diabetes, as if the two are linked. What is commonly called Juvenile diabetes is Type 1, which has little to no link to obesity. Type 2, adult onset diabetes, is the one you’ll develop from poor diet/lifestyle, which is occurring in people much younger these days making its name misleading as well.

        I point this out because I don’t like the blame the victim tone many of the comments here are taking on. Diabetes is not always the result of personal or parental irresponsibility, and even when it is, its still a shitty thing to live with and anything that can help make it more manageable for younger suffers is a good thing.

        My younger brother had type 1, and would have benefited from a system like this for tracking his glucose levels when in his early teens. He, like many young kids with diabetes, was forgetful and not fully appreciative of how important the monitoring was until a couple of comas helped cement that for him. Hopefully something like this game can help some other kid avoid having to learn the hard way, and just do it through the game.

        1. I know the difference; my wife has Type 1. I’m merely pointing out that we’re an increasingly sedentary culture (the West, mainly), and it’s a shame that these things (diabetes and obesity, clearly not necessarily related) are so prevalent now. I maintain that videogames and TV and sitting around aren’t helping this problem- it’d be worth finding out *why* these things are on the rise (bad diet, lack of exercise, etc). I’m not saying that people with diabetes are reprehensible people, just that the West is seeing more and more of this, and much of it’s preventable. This sort of thing seems like a bandaid on a gunshot wound to me.

          1. “it’d be worth finding out *why* these things are on the rise”

            as if it’s a big mystery! Diabetes is mostly totally preventable, and is only on the rise because we want it that way. Stop eating the shit we eat, bingo- no need for stupid video game capitalists. No connection between this post and the new KFC food product of a few weeks ago. None at all.

          2. Thank you. Precisely what I’ve been saying all along. It’s nice that there’s a blood glucose meter for DS. It’s sad that it’s necessary. The big new plan shouldn’t be an attachment for a device that encourages sedentary lifestyles to begin with. The big new plan should be some prevention already.

          3. Why don’t you get back to us when you’ve come up with a cure for Type 1 diabetes. What’s that you say? You’re too busy sitting in front of your computer writing obnoxious, ill-informed comments to do anything other than blame people for their illnesses? I guess that we’ll just have to go back to glucose monitoring until you cure diabetes for us.

      2. What? Type 1 (juvenile diabetes) is not related to weight or diet. Its a disease of the immune system. Its so sad that so many people on here are so ignorant. While type 2 diabetes is rising amongst juveniles due to childhood obesity. The vast majority of diabetic children are not type two diabetics. They are type 1. The two diseases are actually seperate diseases. In fact type 1 diabetes is classified as a wasting disease and part of the disease profile for type 1 is that most are thin!

    2. I think it’s important to keep in mind that, despite the rising number of kids with Type 2 diabetes, many (if not most) diabetic kids have Type 1, the development of which has nothing to do with lack of exercise, poor diet, lifestyle, etc.

  9. The overwhelming majority of children with diabetes have TYPE I (juvenile onset) diabetes which has NOTHING to do with diet or lifestyle. Any tool that can help make the daily blood glucose monitoring and insulin injections easier is very welcome to those children and their families.

  10. This seems like a pretty cool thing. It has the smell of not-quite-getting-it that seems to hang around products that are developed by adults, and marketed to kids. I expect (and hope) the online community takes off more than the game does.

  11. As far as childhood diabetes goes, there’s a big difference between Type I, and Type II diabetes. The diabetes people get in childhood is usually* Type I. It results from an auto-immune attack on the cells in one’s pancreas that produce insulin. You don’t produce any insulin at all, and that can be life-threatening. Kids with good diets and high activity levels still get this type of Diabetes.
    Type II Diabetes is the kind that is generally associated with the morbidly obese. It better characterized as insulin resistance. After years of a diet that is high in sugar, with not much activity to use it up, your body essentially stops listening to the message the insulin is sending, and your pancreas sort of wears itself out.
    *I said “usually” up above, because there has been an increase in Type II diabetes diagnosed in children, and yes, those kids are usually pretty overweight. But the thing is, there’s a big genetic component in both types of diabetes – more so in Type II, actually. I’ve seen 500 pounders who never had a problem with it, and people with good weight control who are still on insulin.

  12. I think it’s a great idea. It must really suck to be a kid with a serious disease – and diabetes IS serious. They face a lifetime of testing and careful monitoring and the certainty of complications from the diabetes later in life. It has a cumulative effect on the body, and some really awful things can happen (blindness, diabetic neuropathy, poor circulation, kidney damage, heart disease, stroke…).

    Seems to me that this is something that would help when kids are beginning to adjust to new routines. It’s hard for a 10 year old to make those kinds of changes. It’s tough enough for adults to do it. My friend’s 12 year old kid – skinny as a rail, by the way – was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, and her parents had a really hard time getting her to check her blood…to the point where she’d have lows at school that were pretty serious. I wonder if this might have made it a little more likely for her to get into the habit of doing that testing in the beginning.

    1. No, because it tracks your levels, and it’s just one more way for ’em to track you.

      -and your levels.

      (Sorry Cory, but it was too good to pass up!)

  14. I was about to post a rant correcting everybody and doctorcandy beat me to it. Yay doctorcandy! There is a rise in both Type I and Type II diabetes in kids. With Type I because it is fatal if not detected, and it’s easy to get diagnosed nowadays, so more kids are living. (Also, there seems to be genetic correlations, and 100 years ago everyone died of Type I soon after onset before they could reproduce and pass it on. Though now they can live full lives, they’re passing on the bad genes.) Type II is increasing because of the above mentioned bad lifestyle choices and better diagnosis techniques.

    Jorge is totally right, too. If the game sucks, kids won’t use it. My son has Type I and early computer games that were supposed to educate him when he was 7 years old sucked so bad he didn’t want anything to do with them. Now he’s 15, and has a Nintendo DS, but that game better rock before he’d even consider using it.

  15. To the people who think this encourages laziness:

    Long term testing is a painful and scary process for little kids. The testing sites get sensitive, and they never get quite used to the needle sticks. It is not just forgetfulness, but outright avoidance. Little kids will go out of their way not to test. Anything that might make this a more bearable experience for them is welcome.

  16. The New DSi doesn’t have this slot. Kids also want the latest gadget. Just thought I would mention it.

  17. I guess I don’t see a downside to this. Yeah, the game could be lame, but hopefully that will improve overtime. The fact that they actually put this into production and not just as a proof of concept is all kinds of awesome.

  18. Here’s an idea- instead of solving the root of the problem, let’s re-frame it as “the new norm.” Presto! Problem disappears.

  19. I am going to rant incoherently for awhile. I have two children and a wife with Type 1 diabetes and I find this typical of our generation. Trying to sugar coat reality because we wish things to be easier for us. My five year old and two year old are on strict diets and monitoring. They are not allowed to vary ever. It was hard at first with needles and testing but once i realized the person with the most problem with it was myself, the tables turned. I sucked it up and did what all parents with diabetic children must do. Enforce the rules of life, and these are rules that must never be broken. Kids are not stupid and will learn what you teach them. Once my children saw that i was confident and in control of it there was no more fear or problems. My five year old now does all of his monitoring, testing, recording results into the computer, needle disposal, loading of insulin into needle(supervised), i just administer shots and verify doses. The two year old just gets everything ready for me and cleans up his case afterwards. I do not reward my children for doing the required tasks in life. The task of monitoring and treating diabetes is more than testing blood levels.
    Food, exercise, strict routines will get you 95% the way there. Unless my wife and kids are sick I can tell if their glucose levels are within parameters without testing.It takes time to get to that level but once you are there it makes the disease more manageable. Over testing is not the answer, associating it with a game is not the answer. Try developing the appropriate lifestyle changes, Halloween is not about candy, Birthdays are not about cake. My children get tested at meals and snack times which works out to 6 times a day, plenty if not too much.

    This seems to be another money grab by the drug companies. My children do not get punished or rewarded for anything to do with diabetes, they just have to do it.

    1. Paul, you’re not ranting incoherently; kind of the opposite, in fact–you’re coming off as a slightly scary control freak. It’s completely cool that you have involved your kids in their own diabetes care, but I’m really uneasy that you’re insisting on testing six times a day while opposed to the idea of it being at all enjoyable.

      I think that you need to separate your own anger at this–because you’re obviously very, very angry about this–from what’s best for your kids. They’re going to have a tough row to hoe as they get older and have other temptations besides cake and candy. Would it really be such a bad thing if they got a game out of it?

      1. Yeah Jack, I got that same vibe. I’ve never talked to a doctor about it, but I would have imagined testing three times a day, everyday was doing good, after six times a day I can’t imagine how their little fingers are.
        Paul, the way you talk about it leads me to believe you yourself are having trouble coping with it all (which is understandable as presumably the three most important people in your life are afflicted), but your tone makes it sound like its gotten on top of you a bit. You think you know their parameters by looking at them? You aren’t seeing numbers in their eyes are you?

      2. in the first few months for both of my children, control freak would put it mildly. I have witnessed severe reactions due to low blood sugars(hypoglycemic) and trust me you would never want to see your child in that state. children especially toddlers that cannot talk, have a hard time letting you know that they are going low. Testing six times a day is not far off what is required for someone taking insulin twice a day, you need to test prior to injections and when the insulin starts to peak. I set the other testing with snack times as it also coincides with school and daycare arrivals/departures. Most daycares and schools will not test glucose levels.
        what is best for my kids is determined by the doctors when it comes to diabetes. I have made friends with several other parents of diabetic children and some tried the reward system for motivation. The problem that was experienced was that when rewards are not handed out the child feels bad about his disease. I do not talk about good or bad readings, just high or low and then discuss the appropriate action to be taken. No reward but also no punishment, kids regard the lack of reward as punishment.

        it is not anger you are reading but frustration, every time i hear of something that may improve the child’s lifestyle, it wont. I also wonder how many people here have kids with diabetes, because frankly they are the only people who could have with a valid opinion on this. Diabetic specialists tend to have valid opinions too.

        I fear the teenage years, i experienced my wife in her early twenties and she drank. That is a messy event to say the least. It is going to be hard enough to manage with changing hormones let alone the peer pressure that will force bad decisions.

        educate yourselves and your children on the disease is your best bet. children thrive on routine and consistency and diabetes is a disease that to be able to stand a chance on managing it, these two items are essential.

        not video games

    2. Paul M’s approach to his young kids is probably the best possible approach in general. However, from what a couple of Type I guys have told me about their teenage years, even the best parenting isn’t always enough. I sort of doubt this game will solve outbreaks of teenage self-destructive/imperceptive idiocy–wouldn’t have helped my non-diabetes related ones–but I see nothing wrong with trying this kind of positive reinforcement.

  20. Clrly th d tht nt bng sdntry (‘m ctlly wlkng rght nw) s vrbtn cncpt. N nd t b n ss. *ndrstnd* tht thr r- n, y’knw wht? Scrw t. f th d tht, n mny css, dbts s prvntbl by prpr dt nd xrcs s jst t mch t stmch, thnk wht y wnt.

    (nd y’r md! Chrst. wld’v xpctd bttr.)

  22. I know adults who have problems following the regimen required to cope with diabetes. With significant negative consequences for failure. I can only imagine how hard it is for kids and their parents. To the extent that this makes it even a little bit easier, it’s a great invention. Even if it’s “just” the precursor to a better version, the people who made it can be proud of what they’ve done.

    1. Thank you. I agree entirely. Blaming the person with diabetes, or saying there are better ways, other wise, etc, does not change the fact that its a hard disease to deal with and many people suck at the extremely rigid rules and diet you must follow to stay totally safe. Regardless of how people get diabetes, whether that person could have avoided it or not, they have it now and have to cope. This is an option, among many options, that may help certain people manage glucose/insulin levels better. Its probably not the best option for all people, but its likely a great option for certain people, and its a wonderful thing for that.

  24. My cat has diabetes. she doesn’t mind the insulin, but testing is a hassle. I wonder if this can interface to an ipad and noby noby boy?

  25. Now if only they could create a game that rewarded kids for putting down the game and doing their homework.

  26. Also, even though others have pointed out the lack of connection between Type I and exercise or the lack thereof, it’s also worth noting that Nintendo, via the Wii and other plug-ins for the DS such as their Personal Trainer Walking pedometer/game, have done a lot more for getting kids off their ass and exercising than any number of people bloviating on blog comment sections. Just sayin’.

  27. Nice thread going here. It needs to be talked about a lot. All the comments on exercise are on the money. Eating real food that doesn’t come from a can, package or freezer case, or FF joint counts too. Bizarre listed ingredients only a chemist understands are not good for you.
    Finger stickers of the world unite.

  28. To all that are spouting off about diet, exercise and the like:
    Juvenile diabtes (TYPE I) are not acquired via diet or bad habits, but via genetics. They have it. Exercise will help. So will diet. But they have it due to GENETICS.

    This “game” will reinforce the idea of testing. Regularly. I’d actually be in favor of integrating this fully into a DS, whereby a juvenile will only be allowed to play for a set amount of time before retesting… with ANY game. That would be sometime I can stand behind for my child (with Type I, thank you).

    But beside that, I think this is marketed just to be marketed. I don’t see any ulterior motives for a sincere education or prevention platform, only a monetization. Not having the product, I could be completely off-base here.

    Also: please educate yourselves about diabtes. I constantly see people post/say/think that all types of diabetes are due to poor weight/poor diet/poor exercise habits.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes

    If you are already educated about diabetes, ignore the above diatribe! BRAVO! :)

  29. I see this still uses strips. What I wish they would develop is a tester that didn’t need strips to work. It reminds me of razor blades. The razor handle is cheap, but the cost of the blades is where they get you. The strips for my daughter’s meter are $100 without insurance for a tube of 50, and she needs to check her blood at least four times a day. So she uses all 50 strips in 12.5 days. That averages out to $240 a month JUST FOR STRIPS! Unless there’s a cure for Type I that can rebuild her pancreas, she’s stuck with this for life. Since it’s now a pre-existing condition, any insurance that can help her with care costs once she’s an adult, will probably cost too much to have.

  30. Anon,
    stressful yes, trouble coping no, like i said the first couple of months was hell, having two kids acquire diabetes within a month of each other was harsh. sounds harsh but i was lucky to be educated about diabetes before it occurred due to my wife. “tone” that people may read into my written is probably due to my lack of good writing skills (i am an engineer and have an easier time communicating with steel and concrete than humans, ask my wife about that, intentions good message comes across bad)

    blood strips, with you on that, there are a few companies researching and testing devices that test levels without drawing blood, they have it working but no where near consistent or accurate enough. I am lucky as my wife’s insurance covers 80%, still out of pocket 250 a month on strips alone. The amount of testing required is dependent on how the child is reacting to insulin therapy he is on and the routine the child is in. every now and then i sound off on the local rep for the company and he sends me strips in the mail, helps a little, especially in the months when unexpected bills arrive

    As for seeing numbers in the eyes, almost, how they are behaving and also how they smell. My boys smell like they are wearing fruity perfume with highs and the lows have different effect on all three of them. as the years go by the scene changes, when i first met my wife i had loads of time to react to the symptoms now she displays none of them. The pump was the answer to her woes, life changed for her when she went on it. better control of diabetes, weight, more freedom with food, comes with a hefty price tag, both startup and running it

    when i am certain my boys can handle a pump without tearing it from their body they will be on it. night and day difference in control, my wife went from nasty lows (child bearing years was rough on the control) almost weekly to none in two years. she had weight problems (in her eyes) and now she looks like she did in her twenties, too bad i don’t.

  31. Anon,
    forgot to mention about little fingers, i use multiple test sites and injection sites, injection sites are critical to move around, talk to your doc about why and where the best places are
    testing i do fingers and toes and other places, certain glucometers can accommodate this. fingers are good because they are the give you the best reading when you need to test after an adjustment, say after a low and food has been administered this is place that will show it the best. takes longer for the toe and other areas to show the results

  32. The real tragedy about this game is that the developer, Sensory Sweep, stole it from their employees. Sensory Sweep owes its employees approximately 6 months in backpay. They also ‘misappropriated’ (read: stole) our 401 withholdings, and even made our 2007 tax withholdings ‘disappear’. Some of the employees were ruined financially. Many left the industry.

    I am disappointed in Bayer for allowing stolen artwork to see the market- however small that market might be.

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