Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue

A body fluid sampling system for use on a tissue site, the system comprising:

• a controllable electromagnetic based penetrating member driver;
• a disposable;
• a plurality of penetrating members, each of a penetrating member and an associated sample chamber having a combined occupied volume of no more than about 5.0 cm3 and being positioned in the disposable;
• a transport mechanism configured to engage the disposable and to carry the plurality of penetrating members on top of a belt, and move the plurality of penetrating members in its entirety in order to place one of the penetrating members to be in a position of engagement with the controllable electromagnetic based penetrating member driver when moved into position by said transport mechanism;
• and
• a user interface at a housing of the body fluid sampling system configured to relay at least one of, number of penetrating members available, number of penetrating members used, actual depth of penetrating member penetration in a tissue site, stratum corneum thickness in the case where the tissue site is the skin and an area below the skin, force delivered on tissue site, energy used by driver to drive penetrating member into tissue site, dwell time of penetrating member, battery status of body fluid sampling system, status of body fluid sampling system, amount of energy consumed by body fluid sampling system, speed profile of a penetrating member, information relative to contact of penetrating member with tissue site before penetration by penetrating member and information relative to a change of speed of penetrating member as in travels in tissue site.

A body fluid sampling system for use on a tissue site, the system comprising:

• a controllable electromagnetic based penetrating member driver;
• a disposable positionable in a body fluid sampling system housing;
• a plurality of penetrating members, each of a penetrating member and an associated sample chamber having a combined occupied volume of no more than about 5.0 cm3;
• a transport mechanism configured to engage the disposable and to carry the plurality of penetrating members on top of a belt, and move the plurality of penetrating members in its entirety in order to place one of the penetrating members in a position to be engaged with the controllable electromagnetic penetrating member driver when moved into position by said transport mechanism;
• and
• a human interface at a housing of the body fluid sampling system and providing at least one output selected from at least one of, number of penetrating members available, number of penetrating members used, actual depth of penetrating member penetration in a tissue site, stratum corneum thickness in the case where the tissue site is the skin and an area below the skin, force delivered on tissue site, energy used by driver to drive penetrating member into tissue site, dwell time of penetrating member, battery status of body fluid sampling system, status of body fluid sampling system, amount of energy consumed by body fluid sampling system, speed profile of a penetrating member, information relative to contact of penetrating member with tissue site before penetration by penetrating member and information relative to a change of speed of penetrating member as in travels in tissue site.