New freedom for diabetics

A portable refrigerator is designed for storing insulin has been developed and won second prize in the Emhart "create the future" contest. It fits in a jacket pocket and is powered by a rechargeable battery. It uses a Peltier device (heat pump) and does not require a fan or other moving parts. It is designed to be plugged into mains power at night, cooling the insulin and simultaneously charging the battery. The 7.5-volt video camera-type rechargeable battery has a life of 4 to 12 hours. The 5 W 7.5-volt Peltier device is sandwiched between an extruded cold pate and heat sink and insulated with polystyrene. A moulded plastic drawer slides in and out of the assembly to hold insulin pens, vials, and needles. This device would give diabetics greater freedom of movement, as they could easily keep their insulin cool when travelling.