EmbracePlus Bluetooth disconnections

Where the Care App and Care Portal are mentioned, the articles in the Support Center refer to both the professional Plan (Care Lab App and Care Lab Portal) and the enterprise Plan (Care App and Care Portal), unless indicated otherwise.

EmbracePlus needs to be connected via Bluetooth to a paired compatible companion device in order to allow data to be transferred from EmbracePlus to the companion device. The connection can easily be confirmed by checking that the Empatica heart icon is visible on the EmbracePlus display.

When EmbracePlus is disconnected from the companion device, EmbracePlus will store data in its internal memory until it is re-connected and able to transfer data to the companion device. When the memory is full, EmbracePlus will stop recording. Make sure to connect EmbracePlus with the companion device in order to avoid interruption in the data collection.

Check the below possible reasons for disconnections and what must be done to resolve the issue:

1. Bluetooth is turned OFF.
   • Bluetooth must always be turned ON.
2. EmbracePlus is out of Bluetooth range from the paired companion device.
   • Check that EmbracePlus is within Bluetooth range (10 meters/30 feet) of the companion device.
3. Some interference is obstructing the Bluetooth connection.
   • Check that there is no obstruction of the Bluetooth connection, such as walls, large furniture, heavy fabric, etc.
4. EmbracePlus is connected via Bluetooth to more than one companion device.
   • If EmbracePlus has been previously paired to another companion device, forget (unpair) Embrace from the Bluetooth settings of the old phone/tablet (iOS devices, Android devices).
5. The Care App is closed.
   • Make sure that the Care App is open and operating in the background.
6. Android Android manufacturers may shut down applications such as the Care App from running in the background to optimize the phone’s battery life.
   • Check our configuration tips on the Android companion device to disable battery optimization and allow the Care App to run in the background.

If the above reasons have been addressed, and the problem persists, try the following steps. Note that the problem may get resolved at any point of the procedure. Check the status update, which should switch from red to teal or yellow:

1. Place EmbracePlus on the cable charger. You will see the battery percentage and a battery icon appear on the display.
2. Open the Care App and wait ~1 min to check if the status changes to teal with the message ‘EmbracePlus is charging’.
3. Close the Care App.
   • BYOD Force close the Care App and open it again after ~5 seconds. 
   • provisioned Reboot the companion device and open the Care App. 
4. Wait ~1 min to check if the status changes to teal with the message ‘EmbracePlus is charging’. If it doesn’t, continue with the next steps.
5. Make sure the companion device is within Bluetooth range and the Bluetooth is ON.
6. android BYOD Make sure Location services are ON and allowed for the Care App. (The location services are mandatory by the Operating System to enable Bluetooth scanning. The Care App will not access, share, or store any location information for any of its features.) 
7. Toggle the Bluetooth OFF for a couple of seconds.
8. Toggle the Bluetooth back ON, then go back to the Care App and check the status, which should indicate charging. If it doesn’t, continue with the next steps.
9. Tap on the 3 dots on the top-right corner, then tap on ‘Forget’ under the EmbracePlus section.
10. The Care App will go back to the pairing screen. Make sure EmbracePlus is charging and nearby, then attempt pairing again.
11. If the pairing fails:
    • BYOD Delete the Care App and reinstall it. This will force the process to start from the beginning, so have the login credentials available for logging back into the Care App.
    • provisioned Reboot the phone and try the pairing again. 

If the issue persists, fill the form by clicking on Submit a request at the bottom of this page or by going to this link. Please provide all the information needed to the Empatica Support Team and we will then reach out directly to assist you further.