Abstract:
The invention relates to analyte monitoring/drug (pharmaceutical agent) delivery device. The invention is suited for monitoring various blood constituents such as glucose. The device has a housing that at least partially encloses a plurality of microneedles disposed on a carrier and an electronics portion. Each microneedle is in fluid communication with a corresponding microchannel. Each microneedle is individually addressable. That is, each microneedle can be extended and retracted individually via an actuator. The electronics portion includes a processor and associated circuitry (e. g. , memory, supporting electronics and the like), a motor or the like, a sensor, a power supply (e. g. , battery) and optionally an interface. In general, the processor controls the operation of the device and is data communication with the actuator, motor, sensor and interface. The invention provides for autonomous operation, that is, without intervention of the user.