Help

An Android app in development. It's being designed to let someone living with type 1 diabetes (the Beet) share their glucose with the people they choose (their Buddies). Buddies would see the latest reading, which way it's heading and how old it is, set their own alerts, and swap short messages called Nudges.

Not yet. It's a project in development by Chris Campbell, built for his own family and tested privately. A public beta is planned, with no date. Stay in the loop, and we'll email you if a beta opens.

Chris Campbell, who built it for his own family. It's tested privately, and it isn't a company product.

No. Beet Buddy is being designed to sit alongside your CGM's own app and alarms, never to replace them. It shows numbers only: it won't tell you what to do about a reading, and it isn't for treatment decisions. It never controls a pump, a CGM or any other app. Before acting on a number, check it in your CGM's own app.

Dosing decisions should not be made based on this device. Follow the instructions for your CGM system. Beet Buddy does not replace the self-monitoring your doctor advises.

No. Please keep your CGM's own alarms on, and Buddies, keep your CGM's own follow app on too. Beet Buddy is being designed to work alongside them.

Nothing. Beet Buddy isn't available yet, and nothing is for sale.

Every number shows how old it is. An old reading is clearly marked, so it never looks current. If there's no number at all, Beet Buddy says why instead of guessing.

Low and High alerts start off, so a Buddy turns them on first. Beet Buddy is being designed to check for a new reading every 5 to 15 minutes or so, so an alert can take a few minutes. On the Buddy's phone, three things help:

• Notifications for Beet Buddy are on.
• Do Not Disturb access is allowed, if they want alarms to ring through it.
• Battery saving isn't holding Beet Buddy back.

Beet Buddy shows anything that could stop an alarm, with a button to fix it. Even so, it's never anyone's only alarm.

Yes, if the Buddy allows it. Low and High alerts then sound like an alarm and show on the lock screen for up to 5 minutes, or until they're stopped. A test alarm makes it easy to check. Phone settings can still silence an alert.

One exception: if a Buddy's Low alert is already going off when their Beet sends “I’m okay, I’ve got it”, for the next 20 minutes it comes as a normal notification. Never at 55 or below, and not if the reading keeps dropping.

No. If a reading stays past a Buddy's number, the alert comes back at most every 30 minutes, up to 3 times. High alerts can have quiet hours, and Low alerts come through unless the Buddy chooses to quiet them too.

It tells a Buddy when no new reading has arrived for a while, and a short note follows when readings are back. It's on from the start, after 20 minutes. Muting it never mutes Low alerts.

If a Beet's low isn't getting better and they haven't answered, their Buddy's phone can ring to ask them to check in. The Beet chooses which Buddies can get these, and the Buddy turns them on. It never calls anyone.

Usually within a few minutes, but not instantly. Beet Buddy is being designed to check for a new reading every 5 to 15 minutes or so, and it needs the internet, notifications and background activity on the Buddy's phone. Phone settings can still silence an alert. That's one reason it isn't a medical alarm and never replaces your CGM's own alarms.

Only what their Beet chooses to share: the latest reading, which way it's heading and how old it is, the graph, and when devices are due for a change. Insulin on board shows only if the Beet allows it for that Buddy. A Beet can have several Buddies, and a Buddy follows one Beet at a time.

Beet Buddy is being designed to show insulin on board from supported insulin systems. The Beet always chooses whether it's shared, and with which Buddies. When there's no number, Beet Buddy says why, such as “Not shared”, and never shows an old or made-up value as if it were current.

New readings stop arriving. The Buddy still sees the last one, clearly marked with how old it is, so it never looks current. A No data alert lets them know readings have stopped, and a short note follows when they're back.

A Buddy only sees what their Beet shares. Our privacy policy has the full list.

No. Beet Buddy uses no AI service. Our summaries, including Last 7 days, are made by our own rule-based code. Old meal photos and Log entries (meals, exercise and notes) from a retired feature are still stored on our server. We don't use them, and we're deleting them this week.

A short message between a Beet and a Buddy, like “Thinking of you”, with a heart to send back. Buddies can choose “Thinking of you”, “I’m here for you” or “Just checking in”. Nudges never call anyone or contact emergency services.

Yes. “Need help” is one tap, and “I’m okay, I’ve got it”, “Bring sugar” and “Check on me soon” are a tap away. Each carries the Beet's latest reading and its age, if it's shared with that Buddy. “Need help” is the urgent one: it can ring through Do Not Disturb if the Buddy has allowed that.

If a Buddy's Low alert is already going off when their Beet sends “I’m okay, I’ve got it”, for the next 20 minutes it comes as a normal notification. Never at 55 or below, and not if the reading keeps dropping.