In message , Stewart
writes:

"Metspitzer" wrote in message
.. .
I have two medical devices that force me to make a list of results
for
the doctor. One is my blood pressure machine and the other is my
blood glucose tester.

I don't know if anyone else would find it useful, but I would like
to
be able to transfer the data to my computer instead of having to
write
it down. I know I can get an expensive model, but I think I have a
pretty economical solution by adding a USB port to each device.

Program the machines at the factory to send the data to an email
address stored on a USB wireless network adapter. I know that the
devices do not use this method now, but it would be an almost no
cost
improvement if manufacturers would implement it.

Anything like this would need to go through not only development, but
software validation by the device manufacturer. Not impossible, but
it may require new regulatory filing(s). My father used to have a
device that used an internal modem to connect with the manufacturer at
a dedicated 800 number to automate the data transfers.


Using wifi (or possibly IR or bluetooth, I'm not sure - wifi certainly
anyway) does increase battery drain noticeably: most reviews I've seen
of laptop/netbook battery life do state that it makes quite a difference
to how long a charge lasts. I'm guessing the meter manufacturers want to
maximise battery life in their devices.

Wired connection, in contrast - another poster has said BP/BG meters
with USB are readily available - while slightly less convenient, would
still avoid you having to copy down the readings (as well as sounding
decidedly archaic, that's surely more prone to transcription errors), as
well as actually having the opposite effect on the unit's battery, i. e.
it could in most cases actually gain some charge from the USB connection
while uploading.
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