Running #OpenAPS on the iPhone and Apple Watch. A brief explanation…

Running OpenAPS on the iPhone and Apple Watch…. A brief explanation?
Running OpenAPS on the iPhone and Apple Watch…. A brief explanation?

I posted this video recently, showing monitoring and control functions for OpenAPS on my Apple Watch. It’s been part of my attempt to move my rig over to a fruity based set-up as opposed to my roboty based set-up, on the basis that I’m rarely offline and that I might as well reduce what I carry around with me.

This has only really been achievable with the update of the Dexcom app to allow use on the Watch.

So, how am I doing this? Well it’s really fairly simple. I’m using the modular watchface, and the following apps, with their companion Watch Apps installed:

  • Glimpse – which allows me to display webpages on both the lock screen of iOS 10 and the watch, giving the view of NightScout
  • IFTTT – which creates the buttons for setting targets and meal carbs (plus anything else useful you might think of) – the OpenAPS ones can be found here
  • Pushover – which allows pushover alerts to be added as a complication as well as a notification (although I’m having a few issues with the complication not showing things properly)
  • Dexcom app – which needs no introduction

I’ve set these up with the complications available for use on the Apple Watch face.

In addition to this, I’m using Loop for Offline APS, a modification of the Loop app to feed an OpenAPS rig with the Dexcom data when the Share functionality fails (which it does far too often…). The details for setting this up can be found here. Be careful though – it’s not a truly offline solution, as unless the iPhone has some form of data signal, it doesn’t allow you to operate a personal hotspot via bluetooth.

I also have the rig producing an updated html page every five minutes that I have Glimpse showing on the watch face, rather than NightScout.

 

The basics for that can be found here.

If there are any questions about how this is all done, feel free to ask them in the comments. It should be pretty straightforward.

Altogether, you get a fairly simple way to put the building blocks together and run everything from an iPhone and Apple Watch, in what’s a remarkably simple process, and if nothing else, looks pretty cool.

Finally, a proper use for an Apple Watch!

5 Comments

  1. This is very cool and I’ve already followed your setup with the exception of Pushover. I was thinking about working on building a basic App for the Apple Watch that used the large complication area in the module face to show some OpenAPS NS details, and until that is done, I’m going to make use of Glimpse which is pretty nifty. I just hard press , choose refresh and I have a full view of NS on my watch which is pretty amazing.

    • Looking to purchase an iphone and apple watch for the type of application outlined above. Would you have any suggestions on iphone and Apple watch models and iOS that would be suited for this?

      • Not really. With Apple products you really have to go with what they provide. I did this last year with WatchOS 2 and an iPhone 7+ running a version of iOS 10. You’ll struggle to get something without WatchOS4 and iOS 11 now.

  2. Very nice, thanks for sharing. I have an OpenAPS rig running. I have an iPhone and Apple Watch, both with the Glimpse app installed. How is this done? “I also have the rig producing an updated html page every five minutes that I have Glimpse showing on the watch face, rather than NightScout.”

    • It’s done using the instructions in the offline section of the documents. You can then format the file as you see fit.

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