title: Dynamic Interactive Educational Diabetes Simulations Using the World Wide Web: An Experience of More Than 15 Years with AIDA Online.
abstract: Background. AIDA is a widely available downloadable educational simulator of glucose-insulin interaction in diabetes. Methods. A web-based version of AIDA was developed that utilises a server-based architecture with HTML FORM commands to submit numerical data from a web-browser client to a remote web server. AIDA online, located on a remote server, passes the received data through Perl scripts which interactively produce 24 hr insulin and glucose simulations. Results. AIDA online allows users to modify the insulin regimen and diet of 40 different prestored "virtual diabetic patients" on the internet or create new "patients" with user-generated regimens. Multiple simulations can be run, with graphical results viewed via a standard web-browser window. To date, over 637,500 diabetes simulations have been run at AIDA online, from all over the world. Conclusions. AIDA online's functionality is similar to the downloadable AIDA program, but the mode of implementation and usage is different. An advantage to utilising a server-based application is the flexibility that can be offered. New modules can be added quickly to the online simulator. This has facilitated the development of refinements to AIDA online, which have instantaneously become available around the world, with no further local downloads or installations being required.
authors: CMRU/NHLI, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of London, London SW3 6NP, UK ; Interventional Radiology Unit, North West London Hospitals NHS Trust (Northwick Park & St. Mark's Hospitals), Harrow, London HA1 3UJ, UK.
authors: Eldon D
authors: ED
authors: Lehmann
authors: Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, North Carolina State University, NC 27695, USA ; Biomedical Engineering Division, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
authors: Dennis K
authors: DK
authors: Dewolf
authors: Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, North Carolina State University, NC 27695, USA ; Blue Ridge Pathology, Augusta Health, Fishersville, VA 22939, USA.
authors: Christopher A
authors: CA
authors: Novotny
authors: Diabetes New Zealand, Rotorua, New Zealand.
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Reed
authors: Shodor Education Foundation, Durham, NC 27701, USA ; Department of Chemistry, North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, Durham, NC 27705, USA.
authors: Robert R
authors: RR
authors: Gotwals