Innovative Digital Twin Technology Enhances Artificial Pancreas for Better Diabetes Management

A breakthrough in diabetes technology has emerged through the use of digital twin systems integrated into artificial pancreas devices. Developed by researchers at the University of Virginia, this new approach, termed "adaptive biobehavioral control," allows the artificial pancreas to dynamically adapt to each user's evolving needs. This system uses a virtual counterpart—a digital twin—that models how an individual's body processes blood sugar in real-time, enabling personalized adjustments and more precise insulin delivery.

During a six-month clinical study, participants utilizing this technology demonstrated improved blood sugar regulation, spending more time within the optimal range (from 72% to 77%) and experiencing a slight decrease in average blood sugar levels. The system updates every two weeks, providing users with a virtual testing environment where they can experiment with different settings—like insulin doses overnight—before applying changes in real life.

"Artificial pancreas systems need user-driven adjustments to accommodate shifts in insulin demands," explains Boris Kovatchev, Director of the UVA Center for Diabetes Technology. "This technology links each user with a digital twin stored securely in the cloud, allowing safe experimentation and optimized control."

While traditional automated insulin delivery systems are effective, they often require manual tuning to cope with daily fluctuations, particularly during meals and physical activity. The digital twin enhances this by simulating how a person’s body responds to various inputs, facilitating human-machine co-adaptation—a critical factor for effective diabetes management.

This innovative approach aims to improve daytime blood sugar control and reduce the burden of constant adjustments for users. Ultimately, it paves the way for more personalized, responsive, and safe diabetes care using advanced computational modeling. For further details, see the original study published in "npj Digital Medicine."

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-06-artificial-pancreas-digital-twin-tech.html