Last issue, Voice, Volume 18, No. 4, we brought you news of the new noninvasive, talking blood glucose monitor called the SugarTrac. We told you it wasn't out quite yet, and passed on the manufacturer's estimates about availability and price. And, we promised to keep you informed.
On December 2, 2003, Voice Editor Ed Bryant conferred with Richard Peters, the inventor of the SugarTrac, who stated he now expects Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the SugarTrac to come at the end of January 2004. Mr. Peters also stated he had a better handle on what the production SugarTrac would cost: About $300 for the meter and $50 for the replaceable earclip, which should last three months.
Last issue, we depicted a prototype of the SugarTrac meter and earclip. Since then, the inventor reported, the production version has been "downsized," and will fit in pocket or purse. "It will be slightly larger than a cell phone," he stated.
Asked if they are still planning to include a (built-in) voice synthesizer, he said: "Yes, version 2 of the SugarTrac will talk."
For more information, contact the manufacturer: LifeTrac, 12751 Westlinks Drive, Fort Myers, FL 33913; telephone: 1-877-768-6978; Web site: www.sugartrac.net