OPEN project closing conference

Disclaimer: This is not a call to become a user of DIY APS. Open-source solutions exist as an alternative and safe choice for all people with diabetes, of any age, race, and place in the world. Alongside all other medical devices and treatments, they must be used properly. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider for the management of your or your child's specific case of diabetes.  

Berlin, 22 February 2023. A few hours before the official opening of the unique conference ATTD 2023 (Advanced Technologies &Treatment in Diabetes), the Leading elite for diabetes management met at the Charité Campus (Virchow Klinikum).

The European Commission supported the Automatic Insulin Delivery Systems project from open sources with more than 1 million euros. (You can see the details of the grant here.) And as it was said in the hall today, "who else, if not Europe, invests money in a really good cause?" I can't disagree.


At the final conference of the OPEN project, researchers presented their more than 3-year research on AID systems from open sources, the so-called DIY APS. (You can read about AID systems and their availability in Slovakia in the Slovak article here.) Among them, the results based on the experiences of open source AID users around the world were presented, what will be next for open source OS AID systems, as well as other innovations on the horizon.


OPEN project about DIYAPS states: The DIYAPS community has created a reference algorithm focused on securing and implementing a closed-loop hybrid system. DIYAP systems are not CE-marked (EU) or FDA (US) approved systems or devices. They are not produced or sold anywhere in the world. However, the algorithm and source code are made available as open source and are publicly available.


More information is available here:

OpenAPS: https://www.openaps.org

AndroidAPS: https://www.androidaps.org

Loop: https://www.loopdocs.org


In Slovak, I wrote about the possibilities of DIYAPS, for example, in the article What a child can do in the first year of school - an insulin pump and independence.


More than 1,000,000,000 hours of experience using open source AID systems, more than 1500 participants, from more than 40 countries of the world... No research in the field today can compete with this clear evidence.


I attended the conference in person. It is difficult to describe the feelings one experiences when the privilege of being part of the world's elite in diabetes management innovation suddenly materializes. And I'm sure that all researchers and creators of AID systems from open sources would wish their users worldwide to experience that feeling.


You can see how it looked in the pictures in my public album on Facebook.


We know that DIY APS arose from the unmet needs of those who suddenly found themselves on a life-long path they did not choose. And they didn't have available what they needed for their lives or the lives of their loved ones with diabetes. These insanely smart people decided to don't wait for someone else to figure out what to come up with or implement approximately their needs...they did it themselves. Besides the uniqueness of DIY APS, that they are supported by those who understand diabetes, who live 24/7 out of 365/365 with diabetes, there is more. A gift to humanity. There is nothing more that can be done than #PayItForward.

Whenever we talk about the #WeAreNotWaiting movement as a global digital health phenomenon, I see the faces of real people.


I see Dana Lewis, but I also see a man named Pete Schwamb and many faces from "my tribe" of Californian Loopers and the Loop and Learn team. I see you, who are tirelessly helping others with technology accessibility in Italy.



I see a father from my homeland neighboring Czech Republic... His face is familiar to most European DIY APS users. Miloš Kozák:


Martin deBock, Miroslava Calegari, Lenka Petruzelkova, Miloš Kozák, Berlín 02/2023

After today, however, I also see many new faces to me and I continue to be amazed.


If today we are asking how and why #WeAreNotWaiting developed into such a form, we must remember - because of unmet needs. In the field of diabetes management, the most resonant questions today are access, interoperability, and costs. And data :)


The answer to the #WeAreNotWaiting phenomenon is access, interoperability, and costs. And data :)


When I listen to the current relevant questions of the scientific community which direction we should take in the world of diabetes and what challenges await us to overcome... after today I have peace of mind and I feel admiration and pride for The Elite in innovation for life with diabetes. For our life. And that #WeAreNotWaiting continues to be the answer to all questions.


Even this research would not exist without the most important thing - us. All that lives with and cares for people with diabetes.


YOU can change the future into the present, add strength to our voice in the world, and help the incredible people who stand behind our peaceful sleep and the team who bring facts of this clear evidence. If you use any AID systems, open source or commercial. I invite you to join me in sharing data securely and anonymously about the technology you use for yourself or your children to manage diabetes.


Among the challenges that await us is what we still lack: more accessible personalization for DIYAPS users (e.g. menstruation cycle), hardware - low-cost insulin pumps, long-term glycemic prediction, and the possibility to use the algorithm even for users without an insulin pump (on MDI).


#WeAreNotWaiting is made up of people living with and for diabetes. No one can express the needs of people with diabetes like those who live with it. So if you're not already a part, donate data to the OPEN survey. You can find the most frequently asked questions and answers about the survey here. Join the Open Humans survey, find the tutorial here.


This is one #PayItForward that we can't miss. 


And what do I LOVE about being a part of the "OPEN world", too? Even if we run closed loops, our minds are open. And so is also access to all the sources we share. In building, how the algorithm works BUT also all information, learning, and findings. And we try to reach you, whenever you are, free. Because we do believe: "People with diabetes who know the most, live the longest." (Diabetic Survivor)


So please, enjoy full access to the conference registration in the original language, learn, and share 😊




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