Connect IQ SDK connecting to BLE V4 sensor that sends GATT messages

I am trying to figure out if Connect IQ SDK would support an app that we are planning on developing.

We want to connect to BLE V4 sensor devices and read the BLE GATT message the sensor produces. We would then run algorithms on the contents of the message and display the results.

From looking at the API is looks like this is possible, but I would like confirmation before spending hours of development time.

The next question is related to putting the app on the watch. It looks like Garmin has an app store. Do we need to put our app in the store or can we just load the watches with the app we create.

Last question. If Connect IQ SDK does support this effort, which watch would you recommend we use.

I really appreciate any help you can give me.

Thank you

0 jim_m_58 over 3 years ago

There are two samples in the SDK that show BLE to a Nordic Thingy. To see if your sensor can be seen in CIQ, I have a little app that schows scan results.

apps.garmin.com/.../9bcc8b66-8385-4afb-b93e-f69e01422284

As far as supported devices, look at https://developer.garmin.com/connect-iq/compatible-devices/, click on the blue circle, and look for "Generic Bluetooth Low Energy Channel".

You can sideload something or put it in the store. If it's not in the store you can't do some things like app settings or fit contributor.

0 ars.fabula over 3 years ago

Another way to get the list of devices that support BLE is to go to the API's documentation

developer.garmin.com/.../BluetoothLowEnergy.html

and click on [view] under "Supported Devices". (you might need to force reload the page with CTRL-F5, the [view] link doesn't always appear.

0 7531701 over 3 years ago in reply to jim_m_58

Are you willing to share the code for the BleScan app. I am trying to use the NordicThingy52 sample app, but I am having trouble getting it to work.

Thanks.

0 jim_m_58 over 3 years ago in reply to 7531701

There's really not much to it, as it's really just an open scan where I don't look for a specific UUID and then display the info.

If you look at the NordicThingy52 sample in the sdk, look at. ThingyDelegate.mc and the "contains" function. You shouldn't need to do much more than not checking for a specific UUID ("obj" in that function) and maybe a few println calls. This is what I did before i put together blescan so it was easy for people to use on a watch without the sim HW.

Having the Nordic dongle or DK makes things much easier as you can run in the sim. See https://forums.garmin.com/developer/connect-iq/w/wiki/19/getting-started-with-connect-iq-ble-development

Last I looked the dongle was $12us and will pay for itself the first day you use it with the sim.

0 7531701 over 3 years ago in reply to jim_m_58

Thank you for getting back to me. I just realized that my problem might be with the OH1 device I am trying to see. My phones are also not seeing the device when I scan in the Setting -> Bluetooth screen on a phone.

I really appreciate the help.

0 jim_m_58 over 3 years ago in reply to 7531701

Forget about trying to use the basics on your phone. There's a Nordic app called nRfConnect that's free for the phone. It's a superdooper blescan that will show you BT/BLE devices that are advertising, and allow you to drill down into characteristics, etc.

There also a pc/mac version, as that's how you do things like flash hex files on nordic HW.

if the OH1 is a HRM that uses BLE, you should be able to just pair it as a standard senor on most device

0 7531701 over 3 years ago in reply to jim_m_58

All I am doing on the phone is looking at the list of BLE devices it sees advertising messages for. I am not running an app.

Thanks again.