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Using the Medtrum A6
You can check which version of xDrip you are running by looking in the System Status classic status tab. The easiest way to update to a newer version if yours is too old is to enable the Nightlies update channel.
If you are using the manufacturer's app then you will likely need to uninstall it or otherwise disable it via Android System Settings to avoid it interfering with them both trying to connect to the Bluetooth of the CGM transmitter.
To use the A6 with xDrip, you first go in to Settings -> Data Source and select Medtrum A6
Now you need to scan for the transmitter.
If you are not wearing the transmitter then you should pop it in to the charging dock to wake it up. Now go in to the Bluetooth Scan screen in xDrip and scan until you see the device. It should show you A6 and then the serial number of your transmitter. Tap that entry to activate it.
You can now check in the System Status tab to confirm that xDrip is connecting to the A6 transmitter. You should see various details appear after a few minutes.
Now within xDrip select Start Sensor and enter the time you started the sensor. If you don't have a sensor already inserted then then you will need to do that first.
If you have an active sensor already then within a few minutes you should start getting readings based on your previous calibrations. Otherwise you will need to wait the warm-up period and then enter the initial calibration.
After that you can calibrate the Sensor as normal, either by using the Add Calibration menu item or using the Syringe icon on the top right and entering a finger stick blood test.
The System Status screen -> Medtrum A6 tab is your friend. This should tell you exactly what is happening with the transmitter and sensor at any time.
- Scanning for the transmitter with serial number display
- Using an already started sensor
- Starting a sensor
- Sending calibrations to the A6 transmitter
- Getting glucose values from the A6 native algorithm
- Using xDrip's calibration algorithms
- Dual plot showing both algorithms
- Back-filling
- Status display
- Standard xDrip integration as a CGM source
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Still some question marks over using xDrip's algorithm with the A6 raw data. This does work, but the way the sensor behaves during the first few hours/days is slightly unexpected you may need to frequently re-calibrate during the first few days. Currently it is more advisable to use the A6 native algorithm but we would welcome real-world feedback as to the performance of using xDrip algorithm with the A6. You can instantly switch between either algorithm via the settings.
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User Interface integration is incomplete when compared to things like G5 where pop-ups will notify of calibration, sensor error states will also be brought to your attention. With the current implementation you must check in
System Status->Medtrum A6tab to find out what might be going on if it isn't working smoothly. -
Some more finesse may be needed to robust fail safes to ensure the collector never fails. Not enough testing hours have been accumulated yet to know what the edge case failure conditions may be on various handsets etc. Broadly though the A6 appears to be the most reliable of all collectors, in part due to its modern implementation.
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The A6 is interesting in that it appears to lend itself particularly well to whole-house-coverage implementations. If there is significant interest in this then I can put something together for it.
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Once the use of xDrip calibration on the sensor is confirmed as working properly, how does it compare to the native algorithm? Can calibration plugins like Datricsae improve the MARD results?
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Translation of the various Medtrum related language text strings to the locales where the A6 is available.
Thanks to the Nightscout Foundation for assisting with testing hardware for this implementation.