Updated April 16, 2008

Talking Meters
What’s New?

by Ann S. Williams, Ph.D., R.N., C.D.E.

OneTouch Basic, Profile, and SureStep
Size of meter: About 4.50" x 2.60" x 1.80" for meter and voice attachment combined.
Cost of the meter: Speech box only, about $200; speech box with meter, about $240.
Meter and strip availability: The OneTouch Basic is available through many durable medical equipment suppliers. The OneTouch Profile and SureStep are no longer being shipped from the manufacturer, although they may still be available from some durable medical equipment suppliers. Two manufacturers make speech boxes that plug into the data ports on these meters. Captek/Science Products (see “Resources”) has speech boxes for OneTouch Basic, and on special order can ship one for OneTouch SureStep to a person who already owns this meter. LS&S (see “Resources”) has OneTouch Basic and OneTouch Profile speech boxes, which can be sold separately from or with the meters (as long as the meters are in stock). Because of the limited availability of the OneTouch Profile and OneTouch SureStep, the following description refers to the OneTouch Basic only.
Clarity of the meter's voice: The voice is clear, but quite rapid. It can be difficult to understand for people with hearing impairment or slow comprehension.
Available languages: English, French, and Spanish.
Volume: Can be adjusted. Does not have an earphone to allow private use in public spaces.
Repairs: The manufacturer of the meter is different from the manufacturers of the speech boxes. If a speech box malfunctions, therefore, it must be repaired by its manufacturer, not the meter company.
Size of strips: about 1.80" x 0.60" (for OneTouch Basic).
Ease of handling strips: Large enough to be easy to handle. However, the target area where the blood drop is applied can be damaged by touching it, so the user must avoid touching that area.
Insertion of strips: Insertion end has a notch, making it easy to identify nonvisually. Easy to insert nonvisually.
Accessible instructions: Instructions for the speech boxes are available on audiotape, but those for the meter are not. The voice reads everything that appears on the meter's visual display, including all steps necessary for checking blood glucose level.
Coding: This meter must be coded, and the code number is not available nonvisually.
Size of blood drop: 5 microliters, a relatively large blood drop compared to more recent meters.
Placement of blood drop: The blood drop must be placed in the target area in the center of the strip. One way of ensuring that a large enough blood drop is placed in the right place is to use a Sure-Drop, a bracket that fits over the OneTouch Basic and directs a blood drop to the target area on the strip. (The Sure-Drop is available from Captek/Science Products for $24.95 plus $7.95 for shipping and handling.) Another method for finding the target area is to apply tactile markings to the removable strip holder (the plastic piece into which the strip is inserted) using 3-dimensional fabric paint or marker, and then to use these markings to help place the blood drop correctly.
Time for results to appear: 45 seconds.
Results: Read clearly, and can be repeated.
Meter's memory size: 75 results, including dates and times.
Memory accessibility: Memory is fully accessible through the speech boxes.
Computer interface: Data from all of the OneTouch meters can be uploaded to a computer using software and cables from the manufacturer. However, the software program is not accessible with a computer screen reader.

Also in this article:
Insurance Coverage for Talking Meters
Resources
Strips: Which End is Which?

Dr. Williams has been a diabetes educator for 20 years and for most of those years has worked in programs designed specifically to serve people with visual disabilities.

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