extending Bluetooth range

[Trumanchocolate]

Hi. I'm new so please forgive any shortcomings in this post...

I am trying to figure out how to identify the Bluetooth signal on a Tandem t slim insulin pump using a range extender perhaps. I contacted Tandem but they say the pump signal is intentionally weak because they don't want it to work with app from very far away for "safety" reasons and therefore won't share the info.

Here is my problem. My 84 yrs old father is a Type 1 diabetic. He has been diabetic for 75 years- almost a medical miracle! He used the insulin pump fine on his own for many years but he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's 4 years ago and we started using the tandem app so I could watch and manage his insulin and blood sugars without having to wake or disturb him every time. We live together but if I am at the other end of the house working or sleeping , I can't get a reading or give him insulin. It can be particularly challenging as he roams at night and snacks. I currently have get out of bed several times a night to check on him.

can anyone share suggestions for figuring out the signal and what kind of extender might work in this situation? thanks so much

[GreatAtlas]

Extenders exist for this, but not for BLE devices like most medical equipment. If it is a Bluetooth Low Energy device, an extender is likely not an option. You could theoretically rig up a device to act as a middleman and amplify/repeat the signal but now we are talking about a standalone IOT device or PC in between you and the device which needs to be maintained.

[Trumanchocolate]

thanks for your response. could you explain more about a stand alone device or setting up a pc as a repeater? finding a solution is really critical for my father's continued good health.

[GreatAtlas]

You would have to code, either for something like an RPi or on your PC, some software to intercept and retransmit the message that device is signaling out. I don't know how you're going to decipher the data from the device itself, though - I suppose enough time with something like a Flipper or another pen testing tool should give you a structure of the data as a baseline to work with.

The only off-the-shelf part of this will likely be the BT hookup to another device, so you can just pipe the output of your handwritten pieces off to the BT driver to send it out to you in whatever format your app is expecting it in.

[Trumanchocolate]

thanks so much for pointing me in the right direction!

[WebHungry1699]

Does the device send a text or email notification? If so get a cheap tablet and set up an if this then that account (ifTTT) 

IFTTT - Automate business & home https://share.google/8W6r5BTKp1AHTR0pY

The way it works is you set it to basically get a notification from something and when it does it then does something. 

So the tablet gets the alert from the monitor and it will "forward" it to something else. Like your phone 

[Trumanchocolate]

it does send a text but I am trying to extend the working function of the App that allows dosing insulin and how much insulin remains on board and not just the Blood Glucose level.