Bluetooth thermo sensor support

Michal Stupka ●

Hi Jordan,

I've changed this ticket to a generally accessible idea for which other users can vote. If it gets enough votes we'll think about it :)

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Jordan Nikolov ●

Here is a link to the sensor i have. I have also a Garmin Tempe but i face some problems with ANT+ support on my handy so hope will switch to the bluetooth one soon

http://www.weatherhawk.com/myblue-t

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N Guthrie ●

I have added my "Yes" vote for Jordan Nikolov's feature request (which I think is a functional duplicate of a similar, earlier request made by Daesoo Kim; see http://help.locusmap.eu/topic/bluetooth-thermometer-support).

In an effort to inspire additional Yes votes from Locus users, I would also like to try to articulate fully the rationale for why Locus should be developed to accept input from Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) external temperature sensors.

Like the equivalent ANT+ temperature sensors, BLE temperature sensors can be positioned on equipment (clipped to a pack, a pannier, etc.) well away from body heat, and sometimes also out of direct sunlight, in order to get accurate measurements of ambient temperature.

To a lot of people, the usefulness of external temperature sensors is obvious, and does not need further explanation. Popularity of mainstream ANT+ temperature sensors like the Garmin Tempe suggests there is substantial market demand for integrating this data in the user interfaces of satnav receivers. The proposal here is simply to extend the ANT+ temperature sensor capability already present in Locus to BLE temperature sensors, too. If you agree with this proposal already, then you can stop reading here, and please vote "Yes" for Jordan's feature request!

Or, are you a skeptic? There is indeed a view that says, "why do you need a sensor to know it is cold outside?". Good humor! But seriously, in-app BLE external temperature data would be very useful to a lot of Locus users.

Anyone running Locus on a device having an ANT+ radio is already well-served by Locus' existing support for sensors like the Garmin Tempe. However, a lot of rugged Android handheld devices with hot-swap battery capability, which otherwise function so well as satnav receivers and miniature travel computers (for email, internet access, telephony, etc.) are oriented mainly to the industrial market -- and, as such, they lack ANT+ capability. Traditionally, ANT+ has been a sport-market feature. Rugged, hot-swap Android devices include Panasonic Toughpad, Winmate, and Juniper products. While these devices (and also many simple, non-rugged smartphones) lack ANT+, they do have BLE. And so the Locus user experience on all BLE-enabled devices (rugged or not) that lack ANT+ radios would benefit from Locus supporting BLE temperature sensors.

Just like with ANT+ temperature sensors, users of BLE temperature sensor data in Locus would include touring bicyclists, hikers, climbers, and motorcyclists, among many others.

Use case 1 — "Encamped": A temperature sensor left outside the tent (i.e., physically distant from error-causing body heat) is a big help in knowing how to dress upon waking, especially in cold conditions. Also, in extreme cold, it is helpful in deciding if the weather is deteriorating so much that it is better to pack up camp and make a run for better shelter or lower elevation.

Use case 2 — "On the move": In rain, snow, or simple cold, during hard exertion it is easy to misperceive the true air temperature. Obviously, the environment can seem warmer when a person is putting out a lot of metabolic heat. By having objective, accurate air temperature information, it is easier to make good choices about how to adjust clothing layers, whether and when to seek shelter, etc. This can lead to better athletic performance, better progress towards an objective, better comfort, and better safety. If it is 70 degrees Fahrenheit and pouring rain, I might nevertheless decide to continue in shirtsleeves if I am hiking or bicycling vigorously uphill. But if the temperature drops substantially, without thermometer data I might not notice this immediately due to my exertion, and risk hypothermia. Or in the heat, sometimes it is hard to differentiate between safe conditions of, say, 80-90F, and riskier conditions as the air exceeds 100F. Armed with accurate data, I might decide to retreat to shade for a few hours, and continue my journey later in the day. Accurate temperature information facilitates good judgment.

For these kinds of situations (and numerous others) it would be great if Locus could build upon the support it already provides for ANT+ temperature sensors, by adding support for BLE sensors, too.

If there are technical reasons why supporting all BLE temperature sensors would be difficult in Locus, then it would make sense to pick just one such sensor, from a reputable, stable manufacturer, and begin by supporting that one. Since these BLE temperature sensor modules are relatively inexpensive, and since (unlike the heartrate monitor situation) users probably do not alreay own one and therefore are not committed to a particular product, it should be ok to support just one such sensor device. In addition to the "myBlue-T" sensor mentioned by Jordan, sensors from MbientLab and RuuviTag might also be candidates (and these latter two also have the benefit of containing BLE barometric pressure sensors).

Some BLE temperature sensor hardware products have their own, stand-alone apps. Theoretically, one could use those manufacturer apps (when they exist) to access temperature data from the sensor. But generally, manufacturer apps don't seem to be very good. For example, Amazon reviews for the myBlue-T sensor suggest the hardware maybe is ok, but the Android app for it is poor. So instead of being forced to use those poor-quality manufacturer's apps (and switch into and out of Locus to get data) it would be great to be able to see the remote temperature information directly in Locus.

Bluetooth ANT+ bridges, such as North Pole Engineering's "CABLE" product, do allow compatible Bluetooth-only devices to receive data from some ANT+ sensors. But these bridges themselves require periodic recharging, adding yet another gizmo to the list of items to which many off-the-grid, long-distance hikers and bicyclists struggle to supply electrical power. And in any case, temperature sensors are not supported by bridges such as CABLE (which relay only speed, cadence, and heart rate data).

So, with all this in mind, please vote "Yes" for Jordan's feature request for BLE temperature sensor support in Locus!