Methods and apparatus for lancet actuation

A lancet driver configured to exert a driving force on a lancet during a lancing cycle and used on a tissue site, said driver comprising:

• a drive force generator for advancing said lancet along a path into the tissue site, wherein the drive force generator comprises a magnetic source that produces a controllable magnetic field in a magnetically active region adjacent the magnetic source;
• a driving coil at least partially disposed in the magnetically active region, said driving coil moved by the controllable magnetic field to actuate said lancet;
• a processor coupled to the drive force generator for signaling said generator to change the direction and magnitude of force exerted on the lancet during the lancing cycle, said processor actuates said drive force generator to drive the lancet at velocities in time that follow a selectable lancing velocity profile, wherein said selectable lancing velocity profile is selected from a set of alternative lancing velocity profiles having characteristic phases for lancet advancement and retraction including a lancet deceleration phase after said lancet penetrates said tissue site and prior to withdrawal from said tissue site during which said lancet velocity follows a programmable deceleration profile having said lancet stopping in the tissue site without a sudden hard stop;
• and
• a position sensor coupled to said processor, the position sensor configured to detect lancet position during the lancing cycle and relay to the processor at least one of, skin penetrating performance or a skin penetrating setting.