Most cycling computers now have the ability to receive and display cadence and/or power measurements via the ANT transmission protocol. How great would it be if a continuous blood glucose monitor company could push our BGs to a cycling computer to be displayed real-time in the power or cadence display?
For those of you more tech savvy, how difficult would this be for a CBGM company to adapt their receiver to transmit the current BG reading out via ANT? Would you pay for this? I know in a race, I hate reaching into my jersey pocket to pull out my monitor and fumble for a button to read my blood glucose.
I think it’s a great idea. I’ve used a Dexcom for a few years now, and I solicited them about a similar idea. I suggested a small bar mounted receiver - for BG only. But your idea is better! I never heard back from them.
The ANT+ protocol was developed for medical devices before it was ever used for bike computers. Last year I had looked this up a bit (I had just gotten a Garmin Edge 705…) and there was one BG tester that used ANT+, but the bike computer would also have to be programmed to receive that type of device.
I don’t wear a CGM (Type 2, diet-and-exercise, no established need), though I find it hard to think of someone on any treatment that can cause lows not having one if s/he races or is riding a route that includes a lot of climbing… I think this would be a really great idea, but I’m not sure there’s a large enough market to make it viable.
I am thinking of it this way-- the CBGM transmits the data to a cycling computer via ANT+ as if it was a power or cadence reading. The computer would display it as such, although we’d know we’d be looking at our BGs. That way, no re-programming of the cycling computer software would be required.
Both the Garmin 705 and the 500 have ANT+ capabilities.
Is this something that we ‘could do’, and if so, how? What would it take to get the navi or dexcom transmitter to push information to the Garmins? Is there a way to ‘link’ the two together (the way my HR monitor strap is linked to the 305 that I have…)? I don’t have a 705 or a 500, but if this could be integrated, it might be well worth it (so I can stop trying to attach all of this crap to my handlebars and just have it in one unit
Note that @cyclekrazy has been finding that about 1 of every 4 of his 705 files ends up corrupted (not sure if it’s in the 705, in the transmission, or the way it’s accepted by his computer)… it’s making me think twice about drooling over that model…
Given that last Friday, Ellen at CatEye mentioned a TT1/CatEye collaboration for this year (is CatEye one of TT1’s 2010 sponsors?), I’d not be surprised if they were the computer company, and longstanding TT1 sponsor Abbott would be working this into the Navigator.
TT1 using the Navigator? I took a quick look on their website and FB page, and I didn’t see their sponsors…
If it is the Navigator, great. We just need a CBGM receiver to push data out via ANT+. The likelihood of that is low, though, considering the small number of diabetics looking for this technology. We’re more likely to see integration with an iPhone app. Not that this is a bad thing, but I’m already carrying too much stuff in my jersey pockets. People wonder why I am not wearing a skinsuit and have two big lumps in my jersey pockets for a 50 minute cyclocross race.
digifit makes an antena that mates to an i phone and recieves sensor data for running and cycling sensors.
seems like they could make an app for a cgm allso.
I Emailed them let you know what they say. A rugged Garmin would be better but I think it would involve a new program for the Garmin in use. Even though they all use ANT+ each manufacture probley has their own transmission protocol. http://digifit.me/
We could ask the cgm manufactures for their tran protcals and see who would give them out.
found this on the web: recently, at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple continued to display their interest in applying medicine to their iPhone, again confirming that third-party hardware like glucose meters will be able to communicate with the iPhone, via Bluetooth.
