Frequently Asked Questions

What is T1Pal?

T1Pal is Nightscout as a service.

Using T1Pal, you privately configure the display of past and current data to be made accessible to your specifically-designated care-providers (nurses, parents, physicians).

T1Pal uses the popular Nightscout software internally. That software is available for download by anyone. But that would be a "Do It Yourself" project; and you'd have to set up your own servers, storage, and network functions to get it to work.

It can be quite a challenge. Thats where T1Pal comes in.

T1Pal provides you with a working Nightscout site during the sign up process. This includes automating the servers, storage, and network infrastructure to ensure that there is no possible way to "mess up" a Nightscout site. Due to our scale, we can do it at a low and predictable monthly cost. In addition, we provide reliable service without the usage quotas associated with doing it on your own "freemium" accounts that disrupt service every few months.

After the signup process is complete, copy the assigned Uploader URL and API Secret into your favorite apps to upload data. Use the Social tab to create links, share with other apps, with friends, or with clinicians.

T1Pal provides email support, as well as a support website in order to ask questions. Many questions regarding using Nightscout can be supported by the community groups, such as Cgm In the Cloud, et cetera. Many mobile apps such as XDrip and Spike have their own help forums as well.

T1Pal's email support and web support is available if you have any problems with any aspect of T1Pal.

During business hours (9am - 5pm) in Pacific Coast time, we respond to to new queries within the following 8 business hours. This generally means within the next business day. We look forward to increasing this availability as resources permit and as we exit beta.

How does it compare to Nightscout?

T1Pal helps develop and release Nightscout versions. Due to the fact that T1Pal offers a managed Nightscout experience, not all plugins are readily available with the same flexibility as DIY. T1Pal has a future roadmap to enable the following Nightscout plugins: mmconnect, override, bolus, xdripjs, alexa, googlehome, speech, pushover, ifttt.

The T1Pal.com Control Panel does not switch to mmol even when the Nightscout display does.

How does it work?

Creating a subscription with T1Pal ensures that funds are used to improve Nightscout and ensure that your instance of Nightscout is running. After signing up, T1Pal provisions compute, storage, and network resources and creates a Nightscout site to use it. Data flows in from continuous glucose monitoring devices like Dexcom G4, G5, or G6. Automated hybrid closed loop devices like Openaps, AndroidAPS, Loop, or FreeAPS can upload data to Nightscout.

How does sharing my data work?

The T1Pal registration process activates a wizard that sets up your own private version of Nightscout. This includes a dedicated portion of databases, the computing infrastructure, and end-to-end networking.

Once your service is established, using the T1Pal service configuration page, you can readily add/delete secret URLs for each person you wish to see your data.

You can email this link to them and using a browser or smart-phone they can see your data using that URL.

Using that secret link they can see your real-time data without logging in.

You can cut off their access by deleting the secret link on the T1Pal Social Tab.

Is T1Pal or the Nightscout software cleared by the FDA?

No.

The developers of the open-sourced software Nightscout have met with the FDA numerous times to determine the best way to fit Nightscout into the FDA charter.

Nightscout represents a novel application of FDA rulemaking in that it is "open-sourced" having a distributed model of ownership and/or responsibility for compliance with various medical device, treatment, and research overseers.

T1Pal service relies on Nightscout software contributors, but makes the end-to-end solution much more accessible by providing a series of automated components that setup individual user's Nightscout systems (for a fee). T1Pal is an application provided by a company (Medical Data Networks, LLC) that provides automation of Nightscout setups.

We do expect to support a process leading to FDA approval, depending on the success of T1Pal services we offer. The T1Pal solution was developed with powerful safety, security, and privacy features. Of course, we think it is very effective in doing what it does. However, our customers should be aware this is NOT currently FDA approved, and use of T1Pal should be considered experimental, at best.

Please carefully review our Terms and Conditions, and our written Privacy Policy. These documents should alert you that anything can happen.

We simply cannot and do not offer any assurances that mistakes, breaches, failures will not be made. All users/customers of T1Pal must understand and agree to these Terms and Conditions, and the Privacy Policy before registering for service.

Will T1Pal interfere with my current use of Dexcom (or other devices)?

Anything is possible. Please review our Terms and Conditions, and our Privacy Policy.

One important issue that has emerged is that if during the set-up process, you provide a correct Dexcom login ID, but an incorrect password, T1Pal (and Nightscout) will repeatedly try the wrong password, triggering a shutdown of data feed from Dexcom. Such a condition would require you to contact Dexcom for support in managing your Dexcom user ID and password. Current users of Nightscout should know about this issue.

Does T1Pal impact the Nightscout project (or my local copy of it) in a negative way?

We don't think so. T1Pal relies on the Nightscout project, and creates a fresh, curated, copy of the Nightscout for each and every customer of T1Pal -- automatically -- at subscription time .

As it turns out, developers of T1Pal have contributed extensively to Nightscout from its beginning, and are very likely to continue with ongoing contributions.

The success of T1Pal will likely greatly expand the adoption, quality, and security of the Nightscout software over time, by providing an effective channel for regulatory oversight.

Nightscout's future depends on a) adoption of the software and b) ongoing improvements to that software by contributors worldwide.

We believe T1Pal will support both of these things.

Couldn't I just download Nightscout on my own and get all of the benefits of T1Pal?

Yes, you may. Anyone with the proper training and equipment can download and operate Nightscout without T1Pal. T1Pal is intended to serve people for whom "do-it-yourself" doesn't work well for them.

Why do you charge money for use of "free" Nightscout on T1Pal?

Compute, storage, and networking all cost money. So does work to provide customer support.

We manage all of that for T1Pal customers in exchange for a reasonable monthly service fee. If you don't want to pay for Nightscout, download it for free and set it up on your own server(s). Our service is for people for whom DIY isn't going to work, for whatever reason. Call us and we'll walk you through it to get you on-line in a few minutes.

Is my data private?

Maybe. T1Pal takes a number of steps to secure private data from theft, loss, and/or contamination. However, we do not provide any assurance and/or guarantee of privacy or security of the data. Please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy, which must be agreed to prior to subscribing to T1Pal service. T1Pal does not guarantee anything whatsoever relating to its use and effectiveness, security, and/or privacy.

How does T1Pal compare feature-wise to the current Nightscout software?

T1Pal uses Nightscout software, but can only "support" a subset of the many features that Nightscout offers. We limit these "supported" features to those we have rigorously tested and shown to meet our internal assessment for quality, reliability, security, and privacy.

What Technologies Are In T1Pal?

T1Pal leverages the latest technologies in cloud computing, storage, networking, cryptography, and team-oriented software development methods. Most of the operating components are open source, but the overall system is designed and configured for very high security, reliability, and performance. At the same time, as stated in our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy, we guarantee nothing.

What CGMs work with T1Pal?

You may find it easy to get Dexcom G4, G5, G6 to work nicely on T1Pal. In addition, Nightscout has a number of generic "uploaders" that are supported.

The Medtronic MiniMed insulin pump combined with the "RileyLink" interface device works.

We have seen some Nightscout users succeed with Medtronic and Libre CGMs. However, Medtronic and Libre CGMs are NOT supported at this time on T1Pal. Fill out our feedback form if this is critical for you.

Is there any way to get my data from my old/existing Nightscout into the T1Pal Nightscout?

We don't have this feature at this point in time. This is at the top of our list for delivering a feature to bulk load an existing Nightscout instance to your T1Pal subscription. We are still sorting through the question of whether this is a Nightscout or a T1Pal feature.