Project Description: 

Diabetes is an autoimmune disease that affects the way the body regulates the levels of glucose in the blood by releasing insulin from the pancreas. Over 34 million Americans are currently living with diabetes, most of whom are required to lance their fingers at least 3 times a day to monitor their blood glucose levels. Lancets are medical devices that aid in this process via a simple blood prick to allow for adequate blood sensing. These devices can be expensive and require constant refills, and they can generate unsafe sharps waste. As a result, diabetics might be reluctant to use lancets due to lancing pain, cost, and availability; this results in unmanaged diabetes and poor overall health. Our solution, the UniLancet, is a novel approach to drawing blood, which could save money for many of those with diabetes worldwide. The UniLancet is a single use unibody safety lancet that is made entirely of plastic and is able to be mass produced due to its 2-dimensional design. The UniLancet is able to exhibit the properties of commercial safety lancets by producing a force of 0.05N, having a needle depth of 2 mm, and being able to lock and prohibit multiple uses. As a result, the UniLancet can be produced economically and provide a more affordable and accessible means for diabetics to manage their blood glucose levels worldwide.