Data Access Methods from Device/App Partners

Owned by Andrew Rankin
Last updated: Jun 02, 2023 by Toni Connelly
2 min read
This article pertains to: Inform (v2)

How do you get the data from the devices?

Gathering data from each of the device/app manufacturers is one of the key values Validic delivers to our customers. Our flexible connection methods fit seamlessly into our data source partners’ existing data delivery pathways and allow our customers to connect to a variety of different vendors, applications, and devices. There are two primary connection types Validic leverages: 

  1. API-based device connections:

    1. API - Many vendors have an API through which Validic connects to retrieve data. With API integrations, the end user (the person who has the physical device who is capturing data) uses a vendor app to capture data and must explicitly authorize data sharing with the Validic customer using the Validic marketplace.

    2. Cellular - Some vendors offer devices that communicate with a cloud server over cellular (4G/5G) network connections. Cellular vendors have an API through which Validic connects to retrieve data. With cellular integrations, the end user (the person who has the physical device who is capturing data) is associated with a specific cellular-enabled device identifier so that their data is automatically routed to Validic. No vendor application is required to capture data from cellular devices so the onboarding workflow is simpler for users.

    3. Validic Connect - Validic offers vendors a means to write directly to the Validic database through our API. With Connect integrations, the end user (the person who has the physical device who is capturing data) uses a vendor app to capture data and must explicitly authorize data sharing with the Validic customer using the Validic marketplace.

  2. Mobile-based device connections:

    1. Bluetooth - Validic makes mobile connections to Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) devices and device Software Development Kits (SDKs) via the Validic Mobile SDKs. With mobile Bluetooth integrations, the end user (the person who has the physical device who is capturing data) uses the Validic customer’s app to create a connection between their mobile device and that app. No vendor application is required to capture data from BLE devices so the onboarding workflow is simpler for users.

    2. Aggregator Sync - Validic makes mobile connections to the Apple Health, Google Fit, and Samsung Health mobile apps via the Validic Mobile SDKs. With mobile Aggregator integrations, the end user (the person who has the physical device who is capturing data) uses the Validic customer’s app to create a connection between their mobile device and the aggregator app.

    3. VitalSnap - Validic offers capabilities in the Validic Mobile SDKs that can be used to capture reading values from the display screen of a non-connected device using a phone or tablet’s camera. With mobile VitalSnap integrations, the end user (the person who has the physical device who is capturing data) uses the Validic customer’s app to launch their camera and capture an image of a reading value that’s displayed on a device screen.

No matter which method Validic uses to capture data from devices, our customers can retrieve the data in a standardized manner using the Inform Streaming API, Rest API, and/or Push Service.