GLUCOBOY: Game Boy glucose meter

by Christopher Grant on Dec 6th 2005 1:45PM

GLUCOBOY is a self-contained glucose meter that "operates independent of the video game system but downloads video game programs that are contained within its circuitry into the GAMEBOY as a reward for maintaining good blood sugar control." The site heralds it as the "First Medical Device to Offer Incentives Based on Compliance", but what are these incentives? If there are some totally random games that come preloaded on the GLUCOBOY, I couldn't imagine many kids going ape for them. On the other hand, if it served as a lock for your own games and testing your blood-sugar was the key to open it then… just then maybe this darned thing could work.

The idea has promise though, and there is an affirming anecdote on the site about one family it worked for; hopefully it works for plenty more. Now if they made one for PSP and loaded GTA:LCS on it they could score the teenage demographic as well!

[Via pasta and vinegar]

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Reader Comments (4)

I remember seeing this many years ago on TechTV.

If I'm not mistaken, a kid with diabetes created it so that checking his blood sugar would be a bit entertaining.

Good idea.

Couldn't the kid just take the game out of the device, and put it in the gba? Or maybe just take it out and put in another game? Seems kind of gimmicky but if it helps the kids, then that's a great idea.

Or just get a non-diabetic friend to test his blood, sort of like a convicted DUI guy getting a passenger to blow into his car starter thing.

And what if the kid is having trouble regulating his sugars? Negative reinforcement by denying him video games will only compound his frustration.

"Oh man, not only will I die young of diabetic complications, but I can't play my glucose games either!"

Sucks to be you, kid. Get a real glucose tester (which is a medical device, not a toy) and tell your parents they're stupid.

What the hell ever happened to kids doing this stuff because without it, it might be harmful to their health? A good idea? Bullshit. Tell the little asshat to do what he's told and shut up about it.