Decoding the Dexcom data format. An update
Update: (August 19, 2007) I'm now using the latest Dexcom, the Dexcom SEVEN. The software that comes with the Dexcom SEVEN (Data Manager 2) has much better support for statistics and it allows you to export the readings in two different formats. This software also works with existing Dexcom 3 systems. Given this solves the problem for me, I'm not doing any more work in trying to understand their crazy data format!
Still no success getting data from my Dexcom STS CGMS. But my recent challenge post about decoding the Dexcom data format seems to have drawn a lot of attention.
Several people have jumped in to have a try at cracking the problem. I sent some e-mails to Dexcom technical support and customer support about this issue. So far, I've received no response. On June 5th I had a conversation with Dexcom which indicated they aren't about to open up the data even in their new version of the software.
I loaded up another Dexcom R2Downloads data file. From looking carefully at the graph in the Dexcom software it seems that there must be at least four types of records in the data stream. These are:
- Start of use. With date (MM/DD/YY) and time (HH:MM:SS) values.
- Gap in use. With time (HH:MM:SS) value.
- Sensor reading. Glucose value, date (MM/DD/YY) and time (HH:MM) values.
- Meter reading. Glucose value, date (MM/DD/YY) and time (HH:MM) values.
How You Can Help
Maybe you know something about encoding or encryption. These skills may be enough to crack the problem.
If you can't do this, perhaps you can help in an indirect way. And I'll admit this is a little devious. :-)
If you search on Google for Dexcom my blog comes in around the 15th position in the results. I think I might get more attention from Dexcom if my blog came in as the number 1 search term for Dexcom on Google.
Impossible you say? Well, maybe not.
Here's where you come in. Can you post a blog entry on your blog which points to this blog post, and has Dexcom as the word in the link? Maybe write a note explaining that I'm trying to crack this problem for the Dexcom, highlight the Dexcom word and then add http://www.bernardfarrell.com/blog/2007/05/decoding-dexcom-data-format-update.htm as the hyperlink.
This way I'll get the word out about this challenge, plus Dexcom marketing may wake up and realize that this is important to many folks.
Can you tell I'm a little impatient to get to my data? How do you feel about a system that captures data that's important to you, but that doesn't let you get to it? Am I the only one who feels this strongly about this?
Update June 7th 2007:
As of today, many people have linked to this post. When you Google search for Dexcom, this post is now about number 8 in the results, which puts me on the first page of Google results for Dexcom. I'm have still to write a letter to Jorge Valdes, VP Engineering, at Dexcom asking him to release the data format so that we can use it to access our data. First I want to hear what they say on the June 11th conference call.
If you'd like to help me, please post about this issue (setting our data free) and link to this blog entry using the word Dexcom, as I've just done here. Thanks.
Note: I currently own shares in Dexcom, I work not to let this ownership influence what I say about the company or its products.
Labels: challenge, Dexcom, software
posted by Bernard @ 3:32 PM
6 Comments:
You are not alone! :)
I am writing a blog entry now, and I will link to you.
Hey Bernard,
any chance you could include in your list of files a stream of all the read/write commands set to and from the dexcom? I'm assuming it is USB? You can watch the interaction with a usb (or serial) sniffer.
thanks!
Adam Greene
That's really frustrating. No, you're not the only one. I enter a bunch of data (carbs, bg's) into Brenna's Animas pump and it either doesn't save the info to download into the computer or there isn't a way to get to it with their software. The newest Animas is supposed to keep the info for downloadng but we won't see an upgrade for awhile. So, I'll see what I can do to help you! Hope this works.
Bernard,
I do believe this is what every at least half way computer literate dex user wants, I sure do. But I understand that Dexcom already has the v.2 software ready to go and is waiting for FDA approval to release it. Seems the FDA is the one that doesn't trust us with our data, not dexcom. It may do better to bombard the FDA with emails--just a thought.
Stephen
It's written (as you probably know) using the .NET Framework 2.0. Therefore, if you have Visual Studio 2005 handy, check out the .DLLs and I bet that some objects are exposed that can decode the file for you. (i.e. write a quick program that uses objects from Dexcom's DLLs to read/decode the XML)
wow gold cheap wow gold buy wow gold world of warcraft gold wow world of warcraft wow gold WoW Warrior WoW Hunter WoW Rogue WoW Paladin WoW Shaman WoW Priest WoW Mage WoW Druid WoW Warlock power leveling powerleveling wow power leveling wow powerleveling wow guides wow tips food flower google?? google???? google???? ???? ???? ???? ??? ?? LED? ?? ?? ??? ?? ?? ?? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? powerlin518 logo design website design web design ????
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home