Diabetech - Diabetes Tech, Research, News From Control Loops to Simulations: How We Get Faster Diabetes Tech Approvals
Sep 29, 2025
Lane Desborough, a chemical engineer and diabetes tech innovator, shares his journey from co-founding Nightscout to enhancing diabetes device approvals. He explains the role of control loops in both refineries and healthcare, showcasing their impact on patient management. Lane discusses using simulations to expedite device regulation without losing safety. He also introduces the AID Interoperability Framework, aiming to democratize access for small companies and align diabetes tech innovation with the pace of consumer electronics.
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What A Control Loop Actually Is
- Control loops pair sensing, decision, and action to manage a 'plant' like blood glucose.
- Lane explains control's purpose is shifting variability to where it matters less, e.g., insulin delivery over glucose swings.
From Son's Diagnosis To AID Trials
- Lane's son was diagnosed with T1D in 2009 and entered a Stanford AID feasibility trial seven days later.
- That personal crisis redirected Lane from refinery control to diabetes engineering and motivated his work.
Why Diabetes Tech Moves Slowly
- Medical-device industries innovate slower because regulation and market structure reduce competitive pressure.
- Lane contrasts high-competition fields (refining) with protected medtech markets that discourage rapid iteration.