Omnipod DIY Loop

Just heard in a lecture at TCOYD from a Stanford researcher that works with Bruce Buckingham that older versions of Omnipod running 400mhz pods will be able to use Tidepool Loop imminently. It was intimated that an announcement would be coming very soon (next few weeks to next few months) which is fantastic for those who wish to use Loop and don’t wish to run a Medtronic pump. Yay Tidepool! Yay Omnipod!

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Slight corrections and clarifications: current Insulin pods (which use 433 MHz RF to communicate) will work with DIY Loop (not Tidepool Loop), and will require a RileyLink tailored for 433 MHz operation (which can already be obtained at https://getrileylink.org/). This is an entirely DIY effort, still work in progress, and there are no release dates. The effort is not supported or enabled by Insulet or Tidepool.

Eventually (and hopefully) Tidepool Loop will receive approval, will work with new Omnipod Dash pods (over Bluetooth), and will not require a RileyLink. Insulet and Tidepool deserve kudos for that effort.

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If we want to be technical about it, it’s 433.92 MHz.

Not that it makes any difference to anyone, just being a goob. :nerd_face:

Here is the assigned ID, from waaaaay back, FCC ID: RBV-019:

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@dm61, yes on all counts, but I wasn’t aware of the mhz difference. The speaker today only said. 400, not 433, but it’s definitely the older generation of pods

The confusing thing about that is that all the approvals refer to the UST500 and UST600 yet they are clearly for the UST400 - the current Omnipod system. The “any time now” Omnipod Dash (I’m still being sent UST400 pods) uses the 2.45GHz ISM frequency. For reference the frequencies are:

UST200 (greyish PDM): from the manual: 13.56Mhz, ASK modulation, with an effective radiated power of 16mW.
UST400 (black PDM, “Eros”): from the manual: 433 Mhz, FSK modulation, with an effective radiated power of 13mW.
D001 (“Dash”): from a “system users guide” on the Insulet web site: 2.400-2.480 GHz, digitally modulated, with an effective radiated power of 1.14mW

The RileyLink adapter appears to just convert the signal from 433MHz to BLE. In addition to this someone needs to have cracked the protocol; probably not hard because it probably isn’t encrypted. The Dash system won’t need a RileyLink but BLE is encrypted (always, so far as I can tell) so that makes cracking the protocol a lot harder, indeed impossible if Insulet know what they are doing and the locked smartphone can’t be cracked. [But, of course, we know a country that can do the latter.]

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Yes, that’s what RileyLink does. Cracking the protocol was extremely difficult and took extraordinary reverse-engineering efforts by DIY community.

Correct, Dash will not require RileyLink. There will be no need to crack anything because Insulet has an agreement with Tidepool that will allow Tidepool Loop to talk to Dash pods. Also, Tidepool will seek FDA approval for Tidepool Loop.

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Yes, but I don’t think dash will be integrated with DIY. DIY Is working only on the current omnipod, right?

That’s correct, DIY Loop is going to work with the current Omnipod, but this is still work in progress. At this point, we do not know if DIY Loop will ever be able to work with Dash (most likely not).

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LOOP on Omnipod (not the dash kind) has been released.

I received this email from RileyLink User Announcements. Keep in mind that everything below this line is from the email, it is not my writing.

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Today the DIY Public Omnipod-Testing Branch was released for DIY Loop.

Pete Schwamb wrote a Facebook Post about the Release on Looped-Group I’d like to retransmit for you all here.

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From: Pete Schwamb

I’m happy (and nervous!) to finally release my code as a public testing version of Omnipod support for DIY Loop. The omnipod reverse engineering effort started in earnest 3 years ago, and has involved a lot of people. But there is one person that really pushed the project through its hardest moments, and contributed hugely in many different ways, and that person is Joe Moran who is also the first omnipod looper!). The project nearly died several times but thanks to Joe’s persistent efforts, we were able to pull off a few miracles. So thank you Joe!

I’ve pushed to a branch that is not part of mainline loop just yet. This is the next stage in testing the omnipod integration. There are still more stages to go before it’s an official part of standard Loop (see my earlier post), and there may still be significant issues that need fixing, even though it has undergone a fairly large test with about 30 testers.

If you are interested in testing, and contributing back with issue reports, and have the right hardware: 433 MHz RileyLink, pods (non-dash), and a compatible iPhone or iPod, then go read up at https://loopkit.github.io/loopdocs/. Katie DiSimone has done a great job of revamping the docs to cover Omnipod. I’d also recommend that you sign up at Zulip (https://loop.zulipchat.com/) to keep abreast of development changes, since you’ll be on a branch that is being actively developed.

The story is long, and this post is already getting long, but I’d like to squeeze in a few more thanks. While I wrote the bulk of the code (and so bugs are my fault :hushed:), others have put in a ton of time in testing, analyzing issue reports and comms logs, and working to make this a better app. Joe, Eelke, Marion, and Katie have been very active in the last big push to make this usable by others. And thanks to everyone who donated pods or money. We haven’t been very nice to the pods, I’m sorry. We’ve sacrificed hundreds to the pod fault gods. But they served a crucial role. And I can’t forget James Wedding and the Nightscout Foundation who really kicked this off with the openomni pledge page. So thank you all!

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I just received an email that my RL has been shipped! I’m an Android user, including xdrip+, so it will be a change. I don’t think I will be able to use my Wear watch as collector anymore, but I’m sure looking forward to looping!

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I’ve started OmniPod DIY Loop yesterday!! So far it has been spectacular. I’ve had a few issues getting used to the UI and the iPhone itself, as I’m an Android user. I still use xDrip+ on my Android phone but it pulls CGM data from Nightscout instead of acting as the collector. So no more standalone, Sony Smartwatch 3 as the collector. I already miss that convenience.

Yesterday, my SD was 21%, TiR (60-120) was 91% and 9% high (< 160 though), and 0.3% low.
Today, so far, my SD is 18%, TiR 94%, 4% low, 1% high (Bg of 121).

Both of the out of range periods were at breakfast, typically not a big issue time for me, so I need to do some adjusting of settings, maybe CR or ISF changes.

These results are pretty amazing for me as I typically have much higher SDs and many lows, try as I might. Today’s results even included 2+ hour run. I brought Loop with me on the run, and did not do any prep, such as suspend basals. I let Loop handle it all. I started my run at BG 111, and ended with BG 69. I know it is only one test, and only a couple of days usage, but so far, I’m very optimistic about its potential to reduce stress and reduce lows!! Also, using iPhone instead of the OmniPod PDM for boluses is quite nice :blush:

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Gratz! We’re all set up for Liam and are just waiting on the Riley Link (should be here this week or next) Looking forward to this new chapter.

Also looking forward to using the reset app or Spike to increase transmitter life.

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You will be amazed!! I hope it goes as well for you as it has thus far been going for me. You still need to apply all the same precautions with food, exercise, etc., but so far for me, my graph is much smoother. Still working on adjusting for Loop use since one can no longer set their own temp basals!!

I was using xDrip+ on Android. Once I started closed Loop, I installed the official Dexcom G6 app on iOS so Loop can get the BGs directly w/out data connection. I had considered to continue using xDrip+ (and watch as collector) which uploads to Dexcom Share servers (which Loop can access for BGs) but that would require an Internet connection. So for now, I’ll use the Dexcom official app on iOS.

I had to switch xDrip+ on my phone to the Nightscout datasource, and disable uploads to NS so there are no duplicate entries in NS. Also I disabled upload to NS in AndroidAPS. So I’m still able to use the fantastic features in both xDrip+ and AndroidAPS, just can’t use xDrip+ as the collector.

Once I get more confident in Loop usage, I may try switching back to xDrip+ watch as the collector to see how well the integration with Dexcom Share server works w/ Loop.

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Have you checked out Spike?

Things don’t have to be as complicated as xDrip makes them (especially the onslaught of constant disconnects and errors). :slight_smile:

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No, I haven’t but will, thanks!

The main reason for using xdrip is the ability to use my watch as standalone. However, since I need to keep my iPhone with me anyway for Loop, watch standalone is not as indispensable as before. I’m using the iPhone SE which is pretty small and I could even take it running.

Spike is a collector. I plan to test it because I’m hearing the accuracy of spike is much better than Dexcom. Also, you can utilize a complication on the Apple Watch to display all the information. Also, you can control the loop with the Apple Watch which is cool (which I’m sure you already know!). Our set up is both Liam and I have iPhones. He has Loop, Dexcom G5 Mobile App, Nightscout, Tidepool and Follow/SugarMate on his phone (don’t need all of this, but the more places we can see readings, we believe the better since some have disonnects in data occasionally), and he has G5 Mobile App and follow on his Watch (so that he can see his BG’s at a glance without needing to find/reach for his phone once he’s in school). We don’t have the Loop complication installed on his watch because we don’t want him to inadvertantly bolus himself. The loop will be controlled by his iPhone which we have told him isn’t for games - it’s a medical device for the nurse to bolus him with.

Here is the lock screen wallpaper I created for his phone

We don’t have Spike now, but after we’ve been looping with Dexcom for a while, I’ll get Spike installed on his Phone/Watch and we’ll test with Spike to see which app has the better BS accuracy. I have the same apps on my phone and watch. This way, either of us can “drive” loop as necessary and the other phones/watches can follow.

Spike can reset transmitters as well, but for now, we’ve downloaded the Loop Transmitter reset app onto our iPhones and we’ll use that for now. Whenever we transition to Spike for testing, we’ll use that app. We’ll be testing over the next year or so and figuring out what works best for us. Omnilooping definitely has me excited for Liam and for our family. I’m reading rave reviews from parents of young children about the loop and how they’re able to sleep all night now with closed loop and this really makes me drool…can’t wait to begin (hopefully) enjoying this bliss.

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Yes, me, too, and I can now vouch for the great reviews! :smile:
Thanks for the info on spike and Loop Transmitter Reset. I don’t have an Apple watch but may get one if I don’t switch back to xdrip+ wear watch as collector.

I also upgraded to the G6 a couple of days ago and find it much more accurate than the G5, and also less painful on insertion. :slight_smile:

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Love your lockscreen, too!!:heart_eyes:

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Great thread everyone! Thinking of jumping ship and doing this but I have absolutely NO apple stuff whatsoever. What do you recommend? Sounds like I’d need a cheap iphone, rileylink, some sort of Apple computer/laptop and $99/year for the apple developer thingy. That sounds expensive! Any ideas on what to get to save money? Anything in the works for Android in the next 6 to 12 moths?

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I second that on the lock screen. Looks awesome!