Space Data / Navajo Diabetes Project

MedApps had the pleasure of modifying its HealthPAL, outfitting it with a special transceiver and Antenna on the Reflex Network (Pager Network), in an effort to communicate to a Space Data balloon that was floating 60,000 - 100,000 feet above.

This combination of technology, HealthPAL, LifeScan Glucose Meter and Space Data balloon allowed individuals on the Navajo Indian Reservation to take their glucose on a regular basis, and have it transmitting to a central location for monitoring and review.

The parameters of taking the readings were with individuals that may have no cellular or telephone service, and have no electric. In fact, some of the individual may be living in remote canyons. So the HealthPAL had to run off of standard AA batteries. This would save the nursing resources that would normally have to drive to each persons home, to now be able to determine who is Red, Yellow or Green status, and to visit the worst conditions first.

This pilot never got started, but the test to the balloon, the MedApps HealthPAL was able to hit a ballon that was 224 miles away, and 60,000 feet in the air, taking a normal glucose reading and transmitting it to the central server.