The world of medicine and innovative, modern design rarely meet, but for designer Mickaël Boulay, that should change. His design for a device, developed in collabortion with the Waag Society that tests the blood sugar levels of diabetics and, rather than giving them a cold, precise number, lets them know about the state of their health with a simple colour indicator. The intention is reduce stress by avoiding the clinical, LCD approach in favour of a more sensitive, empathic interface.

As well as controlling the emotional impact that diabetes has on sufferers, studies show that minimised stress levels actually help diabetics manage the disease itself. This idea that design could have a positive impact on health, beyond the immediate emotional turmoil, is an interesting one, and something we intend to look at in more detail in the future.