Accessories TCheck - Cannabis Oil Potency Tester

[GreenHopper]

The Tech in tCheck $299.99

I have one of these on the way and should be able to do some real world testing in the next couple of months.

I've just received an email from the company telling me they are on track for end of march shipping on the first batch.

"tCheck is an application specific spectrometer. It works by shining a specific wavelength (color) of light through the oil, then measuring the amount of light that makes it through.

You can do this experiment at home... Take a flashlight and put it behind a small glass of water, then look at the flashlight through the water. Now, start dripping dye or food coloring into the water. As more dye is added, the water gets progressively darker.

The water in this experiment is just like our oils and the dye is like the cannabinoids (THC, CBD, etc.). The more cannabinoids in the oil, the darker the water.

Our eyeballs can only detect a limited range of colors (wavelengths). tCheck uses a wavelength of light beyond our ability to see. However, cannabinoids filter or darken the oil at this wavelength.

Inside tCheck, the light emitter, tray, and receiver have all been calibrated. This means that the amount of light generated is always known, the thickness of the oil within the tray, and sensitivity of the detector is also always known. This consistency, along with some fancy signal processing allows tCheck to translate the dimness of the light into what we call a cannabinoids by volume measurement.

Why do we call it an application specific spectrometer? Because it only measures cannabinoids. Regular spectrometers use a bunch of different wavelengths of light and can measure all kinds of stuff like the carbon dioxide content in Himalayan glacial ice. The problem is that it is extremely difficult to tell the difference between 10,000 year old carbon dioxide and some other unknown compound. To definitively tell the difference, you must collect a ton of data across a wide range of wavelengths and compare those numbers against a massive database. Even then, it is difficult to determine the amount of carbon dioxide in Himalayan glacial ice.

tCheck does not try to measure anything and everything. It only measures the cannabinoids dissolved in oils (and tinctures in the near future). Because it is not a general purpose spectrometer, it doesn’t need to make a million measurements and host a gigantic database. By doing only a single function, the electronics inside could be miniaturized."

 

[OldOyler]

I am looking forward to your testing. And anybody eating $ for the team has an extra thanks from me every day of the weel.

I admit I am worried though.

I thought the "...and thus, we are able to get a range of readings from xx to xx on cannabinoids with a x-degree of certainty" part was missing. I looked around on their main website a bit, too. I have been hanging around some science-ey types in the canna world lately, though and maybe I am just being glass half full-ish.

Sounded a bit like a business plan copy-and-paste to their website sections. Not putting it down gh, just using my never-ending fear of...well every damn thing. So not personal in any way!

So is there a product you can use for a control? Do you have a reliable dispensary that is known for reliable %s? Maybe someone else can chime in. Lots of experts here already.

Peace, and if it works gh - even pretty well? I will definitely get one AND owe you a solid.

 

[herbivore21]

The Tech in tCheck $299.99

[FONT=Open Sans, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif]I have one of these on the way and should be able to do some real world testing in the next couple of months.

I've just received an email from the company telling me they are on track for end of march shipping on the first batch.[/FONT]

"tCheck is an application specific spectrometer. It works by shining a specific wavelength (color) of light through the oil, then measuring the amount of light that makes it through.

You can do this experiment at home... Take a flashlight and put it behind a small glass of water, then look at the flashlight through the water. Now, start dripping dye or food coloring into the water. As more dye is added, the water gets progressively darker.

The water in this experiment is just like our oils and the dye is like the cannabinoids (THC, CBD, etc.). The more cannabinoids in the oil, the darker the water.

Our eyeballs can only detect a limited range of colors (wavelengths). tCheck uses a wavelength of light beyond our ability to see. However, cannabinoids filter or darken the oil at this wavelength.

Inside tCheck, the light emitter, tray, and receiver have all been calibrated. This means that the amount of light generated is always known, the thickness of the oil within the tray, and sensitivity of the detector is also always known. This consistency, along with some fancy signal processing allows tCheck to translate the dimness of the light into what we call a cannabinoids by volume measurement.

Why do we call it an application specific spectrometer? Because it only measures cannabinoids. Regular spectrometers use a bunch of different wavelengths of light and can measure all kinds of stuff like the carbon dioxide content in Himalayan glacial ice. The problem is that it is extremely difficult to tell the difference between 10,000 year old carbon dioxide and some other unknown compound. To definitively tell the difference, you must collect a ton of data across a wide range of wavelengths and compare those numbers against a massive database. Even then, it is difficult to determine the amount of carbon dioxide in Himalayan glacial ice.

tCheck does not try to measure anything and everything. It only measures the cannabinoids dissolved in oils (and tinctures in the near future). Because it is not a general purpose spectrometer, it doesn’t need to make a million measurements and host a gigantic database. By doing only a single function, the electronics inside could be miniaturized."

One major consideration is that usually spectrometry requires processing to separate the individual chemical compounds in a substance out (the process normally used is called chromatography, there are various kinds of chromatography techniques) in order to then run the spectrometry testing on pure, single substances. Spectrometry is not necessarily/generally reliable when you are attempting to measure a mixture of substances.

I would want to see peer reviewed scientific literature by analytical chemists speaking to the efficacy of a product like this before I believed that it did what it says.

 

[GreenHopper]

Hey man,

I've been looking for a way to assess potency for a while and was looking at this device and another called 'MyDX' from 'CannaDX'. The tCheck can't test raw material like the CannaDX can but the CannaDX device needs to have the sensor replaced every six months so I decided the tCheck was a more solid bet.

If it works it will really help me get dosages right for myself and the friends I help out. I make canna caps for a couple of friends, one of whom is a big guy at over 6ft9". Guess what, he has alot of back and neck issues and the tramadol/codeine combo the docs keep giving him are causing other issues. If I can get a consistent dosage for him I'm sure I can get him down to using the heavy stuff only when he really needs it rather than an everyday requirement.

Now this device is not going to give you a breakdown of all the different components like THC vs CBD vs CBN. I'm aware of a ±10% accuracy so it's not going to be as accurate as a full on spectrographic/chromatographic analysis using high quality lab gear but at $299 it's acceptable to me and should be close enough so that I can be confident in the resultant effects.

I was a little worried I had invested in a dud but then yesterday (right as I was about to fire off an email to them) I checked my junk folder and found they had in fact sent me an email.

In it they stated they were mostly on track for an end of March delivery ±5 days, and that they had extended the functionality of the device to include the ability to check the potency of tinctures as well as oils.

I think this company is legit, they have sent demo devices out to folk like OldHipie from Beyond Chronic who's opinion I trust.

As long as your expectations are realistic and you aren't expecting a full breakdown/analysis of all particulates in a sample then I think you may find this device a useful guide when preparing edibles.

I'm still yet to test it myself so at the moment it's all a little academic until I have the device.

So is there a product you can use for a control? Do you have a reliable dispensary that is known for reliable %s? Maybe someone else can chime in. Lots of experts here already.

Now here lies the problem, I live in the yUK so no baseline samples or people I can turn to for independent testing.

The best I can do is create a number of samples of varying strengths based on the weight of material going into the infusion and check to see if corresponding figures adjust accordingly. Not very scientific I know but I don't really have another option.

 

[herbivore21]

Hey man,

I've been looking for a way to assess potency for a while and was looking at this device and another called 'MyDX' from 'CannaDX'. The tCheck can't test raw material like the CannaDX can but the CannaDX device needs to have the sensor replaced every six months so I decided the tCheck was a more solid bet.

If it works it will really help me get dosages right for myself and the friends I help out. I make canna caps for a couple of friends, one of whom is a big guy at over 6ft9". Guess what, he has alot of back and neck issues and the tramadol/codeine combo the docs keep giving him are causing other issues. If I can get a consistent dosage for him I'm sure I can get him down to using the heavy stuff only when he really needs it rather than an everyday requirement.

Now this device is not going to give you a breakdown of all the different components like THC vs CBD vs CBN. I'm aware of a ±10% accuracy so it's not going to be as accurate as a full on spectrographic/chromatographic analysis using high quality lab gear but at $299 it's acceptable to me and should be close enough so that I can be confident in the resultant effects.

I was a little worried I had invested in a dud but then yesterday (right as I was about to fire off an email to them) I checked my junk folder and found they had in fact sent me an email.

In it they stated they were mostly on track for an end of March delivery ±5 days, and that they had extended the functionality of the device to include the ability to check the potency of tinctures as well as oils.

I think this company is legit, they have sent demo devices out to folk like OldHipie from Beyond Chronic who's opinion I trust.

As long as your expectations are realistic and you aren't expecting a full breakdown/analysis of all particulates in a sample then I think you may find this device a useful guide when preparing edibles.

I'm still yet to test it myself so at the moment it's all a little academic until I have the device.



Now here lies the problem, I live in the yUK so no baseline samples or people I can turn to for independent testing.

The best I can do is create a number of samples of varying strengths based on the weight of material going into the infusion and check to see if corresponding figures adjust accordingly. Not very scientific I know but I don't really have another option.

I need to explain a bit more clearly what I meant above man:

This product is presented as a scientific measurement instrument. Because of this, it must stand up to scientific standards of validity and reliability. What I mean by Validity is that the product must measure what it purports to measure (it seems that a combined measurement of THC + CBD is measured in mg per ml, but there is no clarity as to whether it considers acids and/or decarbed measures - in this case it would need to provide the same measures of THC + CBD from the same samples as what another scientifically supported method like HPLC/MS would find). By reliability, what I mean is that if we tested the same sample over and over in the machine, it would consistently give the same results.

Scientific measurement tools must be assessed by peer reviewed researchers in well constructed scientific studies in order to demonstrate any claims of efficacy. Without this, it is impossible to know whether it works.

This device seems to give an overall estimate (+/- 10%) of total cannabinoids by weight per volume. It appears to lump CBD and THC together, and I am sure that many of the analogues and decomposition byproducts of these are also picked up in this measure. Remember, this is a measure based on a light being shone through a mixture of substances. Any substances with similar behavior during spectrometry may be confused and included in the CBV (cannabinoids by volume) measure that they provide.

I do not believe that this is going to give you specific, useful data about your meds based on the current info given on the website. They also make claims as to it being 'scientifically proven' but do not provide any links to corresponding research.

If you speak to them again, would it be possible to ask them what kind of spectrometry is used and whether they can guarantee that all that this measures is THC and CBD? Also please ask them for any studies that have been conducted to demonstrate efficacy, to support their claim of being 'scientifically proven' in their video material.

I am not meaning to pick on you of course brother, just lookin' out is all ;)

 

[GreenHopper]

I need to explain a bit more clearly what I meant above man:

This product is presented as a scientific measurement instrument. Because of this, it must stand up to scientific standards of validity and reliability. What I mean by Validity is that the product must measure what it purports to measure (it seems that a combined measurement of THC + CBD is measured in mg per ml, but there is no clarity as to whether it considers acids and/or decarbed measures - in this case it would need to provide the same measures of THC + CBD from the same samples as what another scientifically supported method like HPLC/MS would find). By reliability, what I mean is that if we tested the same sample over and over in the machine, it would consistently give the same results.

Scientific measurement tools must be assessed by peer reviewed researchers in well constructed scientific studies in order to demonstrate any claims of efficacy. Without this, it is impossible to know whether it works.

This device seems to give an overall estimate (+/- 10%) of total cannabinoids by weight per volume. It appears to lump CBD and THC together, and I am sure that many of the analogues and decomposition byproducts of these are also picked up in this measure. Remember, this is a measure based on a light being shone through a mixture of substances. Any substances with similar behavior during spectrometry may be confused and included in the CBV (cannabinoids by volume) measure that they provide.

I do not believe that this is going to give you specific, useful data about your meds based on the current info given on the website. They also make claims as to it being 'scientifically proven' but do not provide any links to corresponding research.

If you speak to them again, would it be possible to ask them what kind of spectrometry is used and whether they can guarantee that all that this measures is THC and CBD? Also please ask them for any studies that have been conducted to demonstrate efficacy, to support their claim of being 'scientifically proven' in their video material.

I am not meaning to pick on you of course brother, just lookin' out is all ;)

I think those are perfectly reasonable and valid questions buddy.

I'll shoot them a mail and see what we get back.

I don't have high expectations of this device but as there needs to be some level of consistency. I mean we are after all expecting the device to enable us to judge the strengths of our medibles.

So please do feel free to raise questions and concerns, it's part of the process of unearthing the truth and the truth is why we come to these forums. ;)

In fact I'm going to extend to them an invitation to join VapourAsylum, would be awesome to have an actual representative around if they were willing.

 

[herbivore21]

I think those are perfectly reasonable and valid questions buddy.

I'll shoot them a mail and see what we get back.

I don't have high expectations of this device but as there needs to be some level of consistency. I mean we are after all expecting the device to enable us to judge the strengths of our medibles.

So please do feel free to raise questions and concerns, it's part of the process of unearthing the truth and the truth is why we come to these forums. ;)

In fact I'm going to extend to them an invitation to join VapourAsylum, would be awesome to have an actual representative around if they were willing.

That would be wonderful - especially if you can get them to join up and tell us more about these topics! :D

 

[GreenHopper]

That would be wonderful - especially if you can get them to join up and tell us more about these topics! :D

Well the ping has been sent, lets see if we get a pong:

(e-mail to sales@engineeredmedical.com below)

Hi *****,

Thanks for the update.

I belong to a forum called VapourAsylum (www.vaporasylum.com).

We are a spin off of a much larger and more well known anti-smoking forum.

We have a thread regarding the tCheck in which I will be feeding back my experience once I actually get a chance to work with the device.

However discussion about the tCheck is already going on in our 'tCheck thread' (https://www.vaporasylum.com/index.php?threads/tcheck-cannabis-oil-potency-tester.41/) and I have a few questions from some of our members.

You would of course be more than welcome to sign-up as a forum member with a designation of 'manufacturer' so that you can more easily field questions and interact with some of your potential user base. It's a very friendly forum with people who work with MMJ patients as well as the patients themselves who frequent the threads dedicated to edibles based on cannaoil.

For now though I was wondering if you would be able to answer the following queries:

* Your website states that the tCheck is 'scientifically proven', do you have any peer reviewed scientific literature by analytical chemists speaking to the efficacy of the tCheck that I can link to and read?

* If we tested the same sample over and over in the machine, would the tCheck consistently give the same results?

* What kind of spectrometry is used and can you guarantee that all that this measured is the THC and CBD? If that is not the case are you able to provide us with a list of components that are included vs those that are not?

This is exciting, people are curious, there is a great opportunity here to reach out and shine.

Regards

**********

 

[momofthegoons]

@GreenHopper (or anyone else inviting manufacturers or retailers to the forum), please include a blurb about checking in with me for manufacturer permissions prior to posting. Thanks.

 

[GreenHopper]

@GreenHopper (or anyone else inviting manufacturers or retailers to the forum), please include a blurb about checking in with me for manufacturer permissions prior to posting. Thanks.

Will do @momofthegoons, not had a response back from them yet.

Checked the spam folder, I've won several competitions each for several millions of euros apparently but nothing from tCheck.

 

[GreenHopper]

Hi Guys,

A quick update for you.

I've been in communication with tCheck who have been very open and friendly.

There is interest from tCheck to open up an account here which is fantastic news.

In the meantime I have a few answers to some of @herbivore21's questions below.

Q: Your website states that the tCheck is 'scientifically proven', do you have any peer reviewed scientific literature by analytical chemists speaking to the efficacy of the tCheck that I can link to and read?

A: The underlying physics of the device is based on Beer-Lambert’s law that states the attenuation of light is proportional to the concentration of material. As with all other UV-Vis spectrometers, this principle has been time tested. We encourage customers to verify tCheck’s measurements against lab results. If the device does not meet your performance expectations, we will gladly refund the purchase price.

Q: If we tested the same sample over and over in the machine, would the tCheck consistently give the same results?

A: Yes, within its measurement tolerance which is +/- 10%. As with any spectrometer, there are limits to the longevity of the internal light source. If the user were to run 10~20 tests back to back, you will see a slight ‘drift’ in the readings due to the light source heating up. This drift will be well within the stated precision. After ~200 continuous back to back measurements (hitting the ‘run test’ button continuously) it will likely drift outside of the +/- 10% range. The device only recalibrates itself on power-up. It does not re-calibrate itself after each run however that may be added in a future tCheck model.

After about 800~1000 tests, the device will reach its end of useful life and will require returning to factory for a new LED replacement and recalibration.

Q: What kind of spectrometry is used and can you guarantee that all that this measured is the THC and CBD? If that is not the case are you able to provide us with a list of components that are included vs those that are not?

A: No. The list of molecules in the known universe is quite large. It would be impossible to list them all.

Guarantees such as the one can get us into legal trouble.

tCheck is a UV-Vis spectrometer. THC and CBD happen to have spectral absorbance characteristics we use as the measurement points. We make no guarantees that other contaminants will not affect the readings. This is why we only claim to measure olive oil, coconut oil, butter, and alcohol based infusions. If the user adds other oils, herbs, or supplements to the infusion, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the results. If the user requires guarantees, then we recommend that they take their sample to an ISO certified lab for analysis.

What we have done is tried testing other things or infusions and looked at the results. We have also tested samples at labs and compared to tCheck measurements, and they have been within the measurements that we state we can give.

Thanks to tCheck for being willing to respond to our questions and allowing us to post them.

 

[GreenHopper]

Hi Guys - My tCheck has arrived!

That's right I gots one, this is not a review model either. I purchased this device during the pre-order phase hoping that it would help me to judge the potency of my edibles.

I'm going to do:

• An unboxing
• Setup and config
• Initial Firmware Update
• Calibration
• First use

I am not a lab nor do I have access to one, so I have no way of independently confirming or disproving any claims to accuracy. My posts are merely user experience orientated.

It would be great if I could get a qualified lab to confirm starting material potency as well as post infusion potency but unfortunately I just don't have access to a service like that so you'll have to wait until someone who does posts their findings.

UNBOXING THE tCHECK

The tCheck arrived in a plain brown cardboard box with no indication of what the contents are. Only an origin address of the parent company 'Engineered Medical Technologies'.

Once the parcel packaging was removed I was presented with the following:

After removing the outer sheath:

And with the box open:

The manual is comprehensive, simple and nicely put together. However it is in english only and there is an addendum sheet detailing the latest firmware update that enables alcohol based tincture testing.

With the documentation and bubble wrap out of the way you can see the tCheck snugly held to the cardboard support by a plastic sheet:

Here is how it all looks once removed from the box. You can see in the image below the tCheck (still held to it's cardboard support), the USB charge cable, the test tray and a plastic rod referred to as the 'swizzle stick':

Freed from their plastic wrappings:

The tray separated into its two separate halves:

Close up of the tray components:

Top view of tCheck:

Bottom view of tCheck:

That's about all for the unboxing post.

Next up are posts relating to:

• Setup and config
• Initial Firmware Update
• Calibration
  
• First use

Stay tuned, or URL'd or what ever...

 

[BD9]

Hey @GreenHopper, thanks for all your efforts. I look forward to hearing your impressions on the tCheck.

 

[GreenHopper]

SETTING UP THE tCHECK

The setup of the tCheck is actually very simple and straightforward. The tCheck has a resistive touch screen so it's a little like the old smartphones from before the I-Revolution. It's more than ample and certainly meets the needs when using the tCheck.

It consists of the following steps:

1. Power on
2. Configure Wireless connection
3. Update firmware (if needed)
4. Calibrate (this is actually done at the factory before the device ships but I wanted to capture the process so performed this step anyway)

Powering on the tCheck, the tCheck is shipped with about 50% of the battery already charged:

Looking good:

First time powering on the device you'll be presented with a quick start guide that's 4 pages long. QS Page 1:

QS Page 2:

QS Page 3:

QS Page 4:

Once you've clicked 'Get Started' button you are taken to the main menu:

Clicking on 'LOG' takes you to the LOGS screen, here you can see a log of previous test results, I don't have any so below all you can see is an empty log, but not for long! When in the LOG menu you can also clear and current records by pressing the 'CLEAR LOG' button.

Clicking 'SETTINGS' takes you to the 'SETTINGS' menu, guess what clicking the 'RUN A TEST' button does :

Below is a view of the 'SETTINGS' menu:

Before you can run a firmware update you need to connect the device to a wireless network. To do this select the 'WIFI' button:

You should be presented with a list of available networks. I've obsufacted mine for obvious reasons so thats why it looks a bit fragmented, the screen is fine but my photoshop skills are better!!!

The tCheck didn't pick up my 802.11a (5Gh/z) network but did find the 802.11 b/g/n (2.4Gh/z) network designated as 2G. This is absolutely fine as most wifi routers are 802.11 b/g/n and all 802.11a wireless routers will also have 802.11 b/g/n capabilities. Besides you want to keep IOT devices on your 802.11 b/g/n frequency leaving the other one free for heavy lifting like your laptops and media devices.

 

[GreenHopper]

Selecting the network takes you to the authentication screen where you'll need to enter your networks WPA code:

Pressing done should take you to the below confirmation screen:

Next up are posts relating to:

• Initial Firmware Update
• Calibration
  
• First use

 

[GreenHopper]

UPDATING THE tCHECKS FIRMWARE

The tCheck can be updated over the internet by connecting the device to your wireless network.

As you are about to see, it is a very simple process:

From the main menu you'll need to select 'SETTINGS':

Then 'UPDATE FIRMWARE':

If there is an available update you will see the following screen, otherwise you'll get a message confirming you are up-to-date:

To proceed you'll need to tap 'OK':

When the firmware download completes the device will update and reboot, you'll see a blank screen for a few seconds before being presented with the quick start guide that's 4 pages long:

Next up are posts relating to:

• Calibration
  
• First use

 

[GreenHopper]

CALIBRATING THE tCHECK

From the main menu you'll need to select 'SETTINGS':

Then the 'CALIBRATE' option. Now be aware that the device is calibrated by the guys on the factory floor so in theory you shouldn't need to perform this step but I wanted to run through the process so I could show you guys what to expect:

So like the screen says, make sure there is no tray in the bottom port before pressing OK. Leaving the tray in the bottom slot will cause the device to calibrate incorrectly and will affect your potency measurements. It will take about 1 min to complete:

Yep that's it, nice and simple.

Next up is a post relating to:

• First use

*Quick note, the 'First Use' post will take a little longer to put up as I have to first run through the infusion process.

 

[momofthegoons]

@GreenHopper really a comprehensive report so far.... thanks. Looking forward to seeing your results.

 

[Olive27]

Signed up literally to see your results. good luck!

My issue is, if there's particles in the oil you're testing, will that block this light that's shining through? Would it give me a higher result for all the microscopic pieces of plant matter floating around the oil?

 

[Baron23]

CALIBRATING THE tCHECK

From the main menu you'll need to select 'SETTINGS':

Then the 'CALIBRATE' option. Now be aware that the device is calibrated by the guys on the factory floor so in theory you shouldn't need to perform this step but I wanted to run through the process so I could show you guys what to expect:

So like the screen says, make sure there is no tray in the bottom port before pressing OK. Leaving the tray in the bottom slot will cause the device to calibrate incorrectly and will affect your potency measurements. It will take about 1 min to complete:

Yep that's it, nice and simple.

Next up is a post relating to:

• First use

*Quick note, the 'First Use' post will take a little longer to put up as I have to first run through the infusion process.

So what has happened since 6 Apr. We got to the part where you were ready to test, then nada??