Home medical devices, as opposed to fitness products like activity-measuring wrist bands, have too often been stuck in the past, even as smartphones have zoomed ahead on hardware and software.
即便智能手机的软硬件飞速提升，但和运动监测腕带等健身类产品的进展相比，家庭医疗类设备却始终停留在过去。
A prime example is the device used by diabetics, a small gadget called a glucometer that analyzes a tiny drop of blood. Diabetics usually use these several times daily to determine the levels of glucose in their blood and make decisions on diet, exercise and medication.
一个最好的例子是糖尿病患者使用的名为“血糖仪”的小仪器。它通过一小滴血液来分析(血糖浓度)。糖尿病患者通常每天需要数次使用这个仪器，检测他们血液中的血糖水平，以便决定饮食、锻炼和用药。
Most glucometers use ancient technology that provides only a snapshot of information. And most lack wireless connections for easily transmitting readings to digital devices for more sophisticated analysis or for sharing the data with a doctor. Many diabetics still log their results using pen and paper.
大多数血糖仪都使用古老技术，只能提供一小部分信息。而且多数都没有无线连接功能，不能便捷地将数值传到数字设备用于更加精密的分析，或是与医生共享数据。很多糖尿病患者还是依靠纸和笔来记录结果。
I've been reviewing two diabetes meters that aim to change that. Both are able to instantly send results to a smartphone over a Bluetooth wireless connection. Each offers an app that collects and analyzes the readings, and gives a picture of how their users are doing over time. Both apps can also send reports from the phone to a doctor or other person.
我一直在测试两款致力于改变这一状况的糖尿病仪器。两款仪器都可以通过蓝牙无线连接，将结果即时传输到智能手机上。它们还提供了相应的应用，可以收集和分析数据，提供一段时间内用户指标的变化情况。这两款应用都可以从手机将报告发送给医生或其他人。
One is the iHealth Wireless Smart Gluco-Monitoring System, and comes from a company of the same name that also makes other products that aim to provide a collection of digital sensors for health measurement. It's more of a tech company than a standard medical-device company.
其中一款叫iHealth无线智能血糖监测系统(Wireless Smart Gluco-Monitoring System)，是同名公司研发的；他们还生产其他产品，致力于提供一系列健康相关的数字化传感设备。相比标准的医疗设备公司，他们更像是一家科技公司。
The other is the OneTouch VerioSync Meter and comes from LifeScan Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company that is a leader in the glucose-monitoring business.
另一款则是OneTouch VerioSync Meter，研发商LifeScan Inc.是血糖监测领域领先者强生公司(Johnson & Johnson)的旗下子公司。
I've been testing both products for a few days, and both work as advertised. Both are FDA approved, though they operate a bit differently, and their companion apps are different.
我测试两款设备都有些日子了，它们功能都如广告一致。两款设备都得到了美国食品与药品监督管理局(FDA)的批准，但它们使用起来有所不同，配套应用也不一样。
The iHealth meter is available now, while the LifeScan product is set to come out early next year.
iHealth血糖仪现在已经上市，而LifeScan的产品拟于明年年初发售。
I can recommend either for diabetics who'd like to know more at a glance, and tie their most important health-tracking device into their sophisticated phones.
两款产品我都可以推荐给糖尿病患者，给那些希望一次了解更多信息，并将他们最为重要的健康监测设备与先进的手机连接起来的患者。
One caveat: These two new meters are only partial steps toward improving diabetes care. Users will still need to prick their fingers multiple times daily to get those drops of blood. And both use disposable test strips, which can cost $1 or more apiece, before insurance.
需要提醒的是：这两款新血糖仪对改善糖尿病患者护理都只能说略有进步。用户仍然需要每天数次刺破手指验血。这两款仪器都使用了一次性试纸，医保不负担的情况下每次成本要1美元或更多。
The VerioSync looks like a traditional meter. It's a rectangular white plastic device with a large, black inset screen that presents the glucose reading in large white type. The iHealth device is designed to look much cooler. It's a slender, curvy white device with a blank white surface on which the reading appears in fainter blue type.
VerioSync看上去像是一款传统的血糖仪。这是一款白色长方形塑料设备，有着一块大的黑色内嵌屏幕，以巨大的白色字体显示血糖数据。而iHealth的外观设计更酷，这是一款有着修长弧形外观的白色设备，数值以较淡的蓝色字体显示在白色的表面。
LifeScan's new meter works only with Apple's iOS devices-iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches. It's expected to cost $20 at launch, and $30 thereafter. A box of 25 test strips is expected to cost $40, before insurance.
LifeScan的新血糖仪只能与苹果(Apple)的iOS设备兼容，如iPhone、iPad以及iPod Touch。预计这款设备一开始售价20美元，以后会卖30美元。医保不负担的话，一盒25张的试纸预计售价40美元。
The iHealth meter works with both Apple's devices and seven Android phones. It costs $80 for a kit that includes the device, 50 strips, and other accessories. More strips cost $50 for a packet of 50, before insurance.
而iHealth的血糖仪则适用于苹果设备以及七款安卓(Android)手机。一套设备售价80美元，包括设备、50张试纸以及其他配件。医保不负担的情况下，额外试纸一盒50张，售价50美元。
As with any Bluetooth device, like a headset, you have to pair these meters with your phone. I found this easier with the VerioSync. In addition, the VerioSync more easily reconnected with the phone whenever it was in range and I prepared to do a test. The iHealth app always asked me to press a button on the meter to reconnect.
和耳机等其他蓝牙设备一样，你必须将这些血糖仪与手机进行配对。我发现VerioSync的配对比较简单。此外，无论何时在蓝牙范围内，我准备进行测试时，VerioSync重新连接手机也更加方便。iHealth的应用总是要我按下设备上的一个按键进行重新连接。
Both meters can be used when out of range of the smartphone to which they are paired. In these cases, the meters save the readings, and then sync them to the phone the next time you're in range. You can also use the free apps without buying the meters, as digital logbooks. But the companies say their apps only sync data wirelessly from their own meters.
在离开所配对智能手机的蓝牙范围时，两个血糖仪也都可以使用。在这种情况下，血糖仪会保存数据，等再次进入蓝牙范围内会同步到手机。你不需要购买仪器也可以下载使用免费的应用，就像电子日志表一样。但两家公司都表示，他们的应用只能从自己的设备上无线同步数据。
Traditional meters use small batteries that can last months. A downside of these two Bluetooth meters is that they don't use removable batteries and must be recharged periodically. The meter can last three to four weeks on a charge for a person who tests three times daily, iHealth says. LifeScan says its meter lasts up to two weeks between charges.
传统血糖仪使用可以续航数月的小电池。这两款蓝牙血糖仪的一个缺陷就是他们没有可拆卸电池，必须定期充电。iHealth表示，对于一天测试三次的一位患者，他们的设备一次充电可以使用三到四个星期。LifeScan说，他们的仪器一次充电可以坚持至多两周时间。
I found the LifeScan VerioSync app to be richer and easier to understand. At a glance, it shows you a color-coded bar that tells you what percentages of the time you've been in or out of your optimal range of glucose readings for the last 14 days. You can also see your average reading, and other data, quickly. Tapping on these symbols gives more details.
我发现LifeScan的VerioSync应用内容更丰富，也更容易理解。这款应用会直观地以一个颜色条来显示过去14天你处在最佳血糖值范围内与范围外的时间比例。你还可以迅速看到自己的平均数值及其他数据。点击这些图标可以看到更多细节。
There's also a logbook that shows readings, and patterns of readings, over 14 days, or grouped by time of day. You can manually add readings from other meters, and customize your target ranges, presumably according to what your doctor recommends. You can also email screenshots, or even tables, of results.
这款应用还有一个日志可以显示14天的数据以及数据规律，或是按每天的时间段分组。你可以手动添加其他血糖仪测量的数值，根据医生的建议定制你的目标血糖范围。你还可以通过电子邮件发送检测数据的截图，甚至是表格。
The iHealth app is plainer, and more table-based, though it does include a simple graph to show trends. It also lets you manually enter readings and set target ranges. And it allows you to email results, in table or graphic form, or even post them to social networks. One nice addition: iHealth's emails include a file that can be opened in a spreadsheet.
iHealth的应用更加简单，表格更多，虽然其中也包括了一个简单的趋势图。这款应用同样可以手动输入数值，设定目标血糖范围。它还可以通过电子邮件发送用表格或图形显示的检测结果，甚至发布到社交网站上去。此外它还有一个优点：iHealth的电子邮件包括一个用电子表格打开的附件。
A big difference is that, when you are in Bluetooth range, the iHealth app walks you through the test-taking process on the screen of the phone, which I believe could be annoying to an experienced tester. Even in range, the VerioSync app merely receives and integrates the reading.
两款应用有一个明显区别：当你进入蓝牙有效区域内，iHealth应用会引导你在手机屏幕上进行连接测试，我觉得这对一个有经验的测试者来说可能有些烦人。而即便在蓝牙范围内，VerioSync应用只会接受和合并检测数值。
With iHealth, you also get access to a browser-based cloud dashboard that collects data from all of the company's devices you might own. But I found the glucose portion of this to be pretty rudimentary. And you can still only share results via email, not by giving others permission to access to your cloud account.
通过iHealth，你还可以接入一个基于浏览器的云仪表盘，可以从你可能拥有的所有iHealth设备上收集数据。但我发现其中的血糖部分显得有点初级。而且你依然只能通过电子邮件分享检测结果，而不能允许其他人接入你的云账户。
Either of these meters could make disease management easier for diabetics with smartphones. But the snail's pace of improvement in these devices is maddening.
这两款血糖仪都令糖尿病患者可以更为便捷地通过智能手机进行疾病管理。但这些设备的改进步伐之小却令人恼怒。