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How come I can link my IPhone to my GPS in my car with bluetooth but nobody has made a blood glucose meter with bluetooth so it can easily talk to computers or a pump? Most meters don't even use USB to talk to computers...are these companies just idiots or just low tech?

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I wonder if the new wavesense bluetooh meter will be able to????

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I've heard mention that the power requiremments for Bluetooth make a Bluetooth-enabled meter impractical.

Another issue with Bluetooth is legal: keeping medical data private and secure over radio channels.

A number of meters do use USB cables; others use serial-to-USB connectors along with serial cables. Sometimes you need to search third-parties and/or further afield to find the appropriate USB cable.

I did some meter reviews earlier this year, and have USB cables for the following meters:

  • Freestyle (all Freestyle-series meters use the same 2.5mm stereo-phono-to-USB cable, must be purchased from a third party, such as MiniPharmacy)
  • OneTouch (I believe all OneTouch monitors use the same 3.5mm stereo-phono-to-USB cable -- I'm currently using it for the Ultra2, UltraSmart, and UltraMini)
  • Wavesense The Keynote and Presto both use a mini-USB (proprietary interface) to USB cable
  • Advocate I don't trust the Advocate Duo's blood pressure readings, but both BP and BG are downloaded through a 2.5mm stereo-phono-to-USB cable.

Note that each meter company has a proprietary interface or set of data transmitted across the connection, so the Advocate cable and software doesn't work with the Freestyle monitors, or vice-versa. The meter companies tell me the proprietary set-ups are required to maintain privacy of medical information.

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It's most likely a security issue. Bluetooth signals can be intercepted and modified and distance is not a limiting factor ( http://www.hacknmod.com/hack/extend-bluetooth-to-over-a-mile/). I am not so concerned with someone stealing my contact list but I would not want them interfering with the communications between my pump and meter.

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TaiDoc is a major blood glucose monitoring manufacturer in Asia.

http://www.taidoc.com/pclink-software.html

They have a bluetooth-enabled meter. I think cost of the bluetooth is more of the issue than the actual security. A bluetooth connection requires you to enter a password that is used to encrypt the connection.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth#Security

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