Technical setting up of an "open loop" DIY system based on Freestyle Libre

Tips, Tech & Gear DIY
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Hello all,

I’d like to share my recent experiences with setting up an “open loop” DIY system for my wife.
This is for the moment solely from a technical point of view as we have not been using it really yet. I hope some of you will find it useful.
It was quite a struggle but we made it finally. I’ll update this thread/topic when there is more to tell.

HW used:

  • a 6 years old Lenovo S205 laptop running Win10
  • a Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) running stock version of AndroidOS 7
  • a Blucon Nightrider bought from Sugarcubes (139EUR +25EUR shipping, received in a week, very nice shop)
    … and of course the Libre sensors

SW used

Helpful forums / needed registrations

  • GitHub - to get the source codes, wikis, installation guides
  • Gitter - to get the support from community (in particular xDrip-plus and AndroidAPS conversations, very active and very helpful)

Codes

Step by step process that worked

  • Get the “Libre CGM” running on Phone

  1. Download and install the xDrip+ application (you may need to tune your phone so it accepts “non official” apps). This app will transform you phone into a CGM receiver/display

  2. Turn on the Bluecon and put it on the Libre sensor (we are taping it over so it holds). This will make a Bluetooth transmitter for your BG values

  3. Setup xDrip+ so it connects to the Bluecon (follow Bluecon instructions)

    At this point you should have a “Libre CGM”. The connection was very stable for us, we tried it for about a week before going to the next step (I’ll report on the BGs in another post later)

  • Get the Nightscout app running

  1. Follow this link to Set Up Nightscout Using Heroku This is basically creating a hosting environment in the cloud, then installing and running your Nightscout application MAKE SURE YOU NOTE DOWN ALL YOUR CREDENTIALS

  2. In the xDrip+ settings, go to “Cloud upload” and enter your Nightscout credentials there

    At this point you should have a Nightscout application accessible from anywhere and collecting the data from the “Libre CGM”. Then you can go to the next step

  • Get the AndroidAPS running
    This is kind of more geeky as the android app comes as source code, not an *.apk file similar to an *.exe file. So you need to compile it yourself
  1. Make sure you have a newly installed versions of Android Studio, open it BEWARE: if Android Studio ask to “upgrade graddle”, REFUSE to do so
  2. Follow very carefully the steps of the wiki Building (AndroidAPS) APK
  3. Once all the build/compile… process is over, search from your file managers all *.apk files
  4. Load the apk file to you phone and install the app
  5. There’s quite a bit of settings to be done to link AndroidAPS to xDrip and NightScout all together, you are very well guided though with the “Objective 1” - once you’re good with all the smileys…

VICTORY the “technical set up is done”!

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Thanks for posting this. I’m helping my wife who is a T1. I’m considering open looping with Omnipod, Dexcom G5, xDrip+, Samsung S8, Sony Smartwatch 3, AndroidAPS. Not sure that I will need Nightscout as I anticipate AndriodAPS can two way communicate with xDrip+ directly when both are running on the Samsung S8. The watch is the primary collector and xDrip+ seems to get updates either over bluetooth or over wi-fi. Still new to this and we haven’t stabelized Omnipod basals yet. She has only been on Omnipod for 10 days. Currently working with diabetes educator and not sure when to bring up open looping.

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@bewell I’m doing this with Omnipod, AAPS, xDrip+, G5 and SW3 as primary collector. I also use NightScout. It is very useful for followers as well as generating reports, and both xDrip+ and AAPS integrate with it. I also use NightScout Loader and Diasend to upload Omnipod data to NightScout / Mlab DB. I upload the Omnipod data to Diasend, then export the data on daily basis to a csv file. This file is then read by NightScout Loader and then synchronized to NightScout /Mlab. You don’t have to do this if you are diligent about entering your treatments in AAPS. I’m not so diligent so I like being able to upload my Omnipod data.