Skip to content
Oskar Pearson edited this page Jan 16, 2016 · 24 revisions

Overall Setup

With this repository, it's possible to remove the Carelink from the OpenAPS setup. This means that we can switch from the Raspberry Pi to the Intel Edison. The Carelink doesn't work with the Edison USB-3 bus.

Complete Setup

Here's a picture of the complete setup. I've included the Carelink simply for comparison purposes - you don't need the Carelink!

Overall Size (Carelink is no longer required - it's just for comparison purposes)

Weight

Our original closed-loop setup weighed 430 grams (15oz). The new setup weighs 170 grams (6oz).

Inside the Box

Inside the box, I've used double-sided Velcro tape to hold the components in place. I've also placed a cable-tie around the power cable that leads out the box, so that it won't pull out accidentally.

Inside the Box

Next Steps

As this image shows, 50% or more of space inside the box is currently empty, but is required for the usb extension cable.

Top Down View

If we replace the OTG cable with a OTG Adapter we can reduce the size even further, at the expense of requiring a longer case.

Once you've got a working solution, you can also cut the pins off the TI stick with a Dremel. This would shrink the width even further.

Fully Inclusive Purchase List

NOTE This iteration is bigger than the forthcoming iteration. You might want to wait before purchasing things if you want the smallest possible version and don't mind some DIY soldering etc.

  • Intel Edison Compute Module - Get it from Amazon, Adafruit, Sparkfun or your nearest provider.
  • The photographed version uses the Sparkfun Base Block, but you can also use the slightly bigger and more versatile Intel Edison Breakout board. (NOTE - not the Arduino board). You might find it cheaper to buy the Intel Edison Module and Breakout board as a kit. Future and smaller versions of this project are likely to use the official Intel Breakout board rather than the Sparkfun Base Block.
  • Battery - we use the 3350mAh Anker battery Without wifi or bluetooth hotspots running, the Anker battery powers the Intel Edison for approximately 13 hours. It also does passthrough charging. Note that some other higher-power chargers that work with the Pi will randomly turn off as the Intel Edison draws too little power and the charger decides nothing is connected to it.
  • A short OTG adapter/cable to connect the TI stick to the Edison. Amazon has many of these - the exact one you use probably doesn't really matter. Note that you might consider using a nano OTG adapter.
  • A box to house it in. You might want to visit your local electronics store to find a box that fits everything snugly.
  • Double-sided Velcro stickers to hold the pieces in place in the box.
  • A short micro-USB cable to connect the Anker battery to the Edison Base Board. This gets a lot of wear - so get a good quality cable.
  • A cable-tie to tie inside the box, to stop the micro-USB being pulled loose.
  • A craft knife or drill to cut a hole into the box that you can fit the micro-USB cable through.

Additionally, you will need the items listed on the project homepage:

Battery Options

I'm going to experiment with putting rechargable lipo batteries and the controller inside a case, and dispense with the external battery pack. I'm also considering using a QI charger unit. This way the device can be charged by placing it on a bedside charger and no cables are required. It seems that a set of 6000mAh lipo batteries would give us full-day functionality in a pocket-sized device.

Hardware

You will need the following:

Writing the Firmware

The best instructions for this are on the MMCommander Site. However, overall the process is as follows.

  1. Download the MMCommander source code.
  2. Sign up for a trial license of the EW8051 compiler / Homepage
  3. Install the compiler with the license code emailed to you automatically.
  4. Open the MMCommander project's src/MMCommander/MMCommander.eww file
  5. Edit the configuration.h file, setting:
  • If you are in the USA, set this to 1: #define _USA_FREQUENCY_MODE_ 1
  • #define _TX_ENABLE_ 1
  • #define _REPEATED_COMMAND_ENABLED_ 0
  • #define _TX_FILTER_ENABLE_ 0
  1. Build the project, which will generate you a .hex file.

Once built, you will need to write the firmware to the stick. To do this, you will need to follow the instructions for the TI Flash Programmer Tool. Alternatively, CC-Tool works well too.