Scientists are hopeful that "smart" insulin can change the way type 1 diabetes is managed with just a single dose a day.

BBC News reports that scientists will begin "smart" insulin trials on people where they would receive a single dose of smart insulin, which would keep circulating in the body and turn when needed. Normally, diabetics have to repeatedly take blood tests throughout the day.

The product has worked on mice so far, but it could take years before "smart" insulin could be proven to work for diabetic patients.

"A smart insulin would eliminate hypos -- which are what many with type 1 diabetes hate (the) most," said Karen Addington, chief executive of Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

JDRF has been funding work into "smart" insulin.

Addington said, "It would enable people with type 1 diabetes to achieve near perfect glucose control, all from a single injection per day or even per week. That's really exciting," adding that achieving good blood glucose control is a daily battle for diabetics.

Dr. Richard Elliott of Diabetes U.K. said, "Years of further research and clinical trials will be needed to find out if a similar drug could be used safely and effectively by people with diabetes."

People with type 1 diabetes rely on insulin injections to stay well and to prevent their blood sugar from becoming dangerously low.

Scientists have been searching for ways to make blood sugar control easier and more convenient for patients.

Dr. Danny Chou from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has been testing a smart insulin which is a chemically modified version of regular, long-acting insulin.

"My goal is to make life easier and safer for diabetics," Dr. Chou said. "This is an important advance in insulin therapy."

There are a few different types of "smart" insulin in development. All types are designed to automatically activate when blood sugar gets too high and switch off again when it returns.