Anubis developments

Last month I reported on Project Anubis, which is reworking expired Dexcom G6 transmitters to allow them to be re-used (and adding some new features at the same time). There’s been a lot of work done by the core team and the testers.

Some people have been asking “Where can I get one?” Well today Project Anubis has announced a step closer to that!

Limited production starting

(Extremely limited) production will be commencing over the coming week!

Initially, availability will be limited to people located in Australia until supply and support arrangements have been finalised. But the plan is to make them available worldwide. A dedicated Facebook group is being established to offer support.

A $180 donation is being sought to offset costs. Note that a lot of specialised machining and debug equipment has been bought to produce the Anubis. No-one’s making money out of this.

I’m sure further details will emerge over the coming days. But the DiaBatteries DownUnder FB group is probably the best place to keep up to date on Dexcom G5 and G6 re-batterying in Australia.

Features

To recap, the extra features are:

1. Larger 386 battery that is user replaceable. The units should last for many many battery cycles.
2. Extended transmitter expiry to 180 days (standard is 100 days)
3. Reset on battery change
4. Factory deep sleep after reset if transmitter not inserted in a sensor
5. Sensor restart detection disabled
6. Raw data enabled. This should enable use by tools such as Spike and xDrip4iOS.
7. Reset enabled (like the old G5)
8. Ability to enable / disable extended functionality

The extended functionality is comprised of two things (that get enabled/disabled together):

• Extended sensor maximum life to 60 days (standard is 10 days)
• Reduced sensor warmup to 50 minutes (standard is 120 minutes)

Configuration (enabling/disabling) of the extended options is done via Bluetooth. Either from Android via a recent build of xDrip+ or from an iPhone with an updated version of ResetT00l (a utility that previously has been used to reset G5 transmitters) which is being prepared.

Without those, the standard Anubis works just like a standard G6 just without the sensor restart detection and with raw data. The current routines of restarting sensors every 10 days become simpler (e.g. no need to remove the transmitter).

With them, I’ve found life gets even simpler. My current test unit is on Day 12 of the sensor. I did give the sensor a couple of calibrations on the first day, but I have not calibrated it since!

I’m checking the calibration every day, but it’s still usually tracking within 0.2 mmol/L of my meter. And in fact against a lab-reference YSI blood analyser the times I’ve had the opportunity to use one! Except when the BG is rising/falling dramatically of course: there lag comes into play. I have been very happy with the performance of this sensor. And hopefully it still has many days left in it!

Extended features disabled by default

It’s worth noting that Dexcom had reasons for using 120-minute warmup and 10-day sensor expiry. Unless you’re entirely comfortable assuming the responsibility yourself, it’s recommended you don’t use the extended features.

Not supported by Dexcom

Of course Dexcom can’t support this as a product. No-one would expect them to. They have to stick to selling the product they’ve received regulatory approval for.

After the Anubis process these are no longer Dexcom G6 transmitters. In fact I don’t think they’re Medical Devices. They are experimental devices which the user takes on all responsibility for using.

Dexcom will sell some more sensors as a result though, as it can only help make the CGM technology accessible to the majority of us who are not yet eligible for government CGM funding.