Troubleshooting and FAQs

Preview: this manual is being updated to cover Shimmer3R. Notes marked TODO are open questions our team is still confirming.

1. Connecting over Bluetooth

1.1. My Shimmer pairs, then Windows shows it as “Disconnected”

Applies to: Shimmer3, Shimmer3R

This is normal. Windows connects to the Shimmer only for the few seconds it takes to pair, then shows it as disconnected. The connection that carries data is made later, by Consensys or your own software.

1. Pair the Shimmer in Windows Bluetooth settings. Shimmer3 asks for the PIN 1234.
2. Open Consensys, go to the Live Data tab and connect to the Shimmer from there.

Still stuck? Try 1.2.

1.2. My Shimmer stopped connecting after a firmware or Consensys update

Applies to: Shimmer3, Shimmer3R

A firmware update resets the Shimmer’s configuration. If the recording mode comes back as SD log recording only, Bluetooth is switched off and the Shimmer can’t be found.

1. Dock the Shimmer and open Consensys.
2. Select the Shimmer and open Configure.
3. Set the recording mode to one that uses Bluetooth (streaming, or logging and streaming).
4. Write the configuration to the Shimmer, then undock it.
5. In Windows Bluetooth settings, remove the Shimmer, then pair it again.

If you use several Shimmer3R units on one PC, also check that each Shimmer appears in Windows Bluetooth settings only once. Then test each unit on its own.

TODO(FAQ): State how many units one PC can stream from at once, for Shimmer3 and for Shimmer3R. Support has said 7, but bench tests with some laptop Bluetooth adapters refuse a 4th Shimmer3R connection.

Still stuck? See Shimmer Won’t Connect over Bluetooth in the User Manual troubleshooting section. Then send us the Consensys version, the firmware version, and the LEDs you see when the Shimmer is undocked (3.1).

2. Firmware and the dock

2.1. My Shimmer shows as “Unknown” in the dock, or a firmware update failed

Applies to: Shimmer3, Shimmer3R

A Shimmer that shows as Unknown, with a Bluetooth radio ID of 0000 and a battery of 0%, has usually been left without working firmware by an interrupted update. In most cases you can recover it by programming it again.

1. Update Consensys to the latest release first. A newer Consensys alone fixes some of these cases.
2. Dock the Shimmer, open Manage Devices and select it. You can select it even when it shows as Unknown.
3. Open the Firmware tab and choose the latest firmware under Quick.
4. Untick Reload configuration after firmware write, then click Program.
5. Leave the Shimmer docked until programming finishes. Don’t undock it and don’t close Consensys while it runs.
6. When it finishes, configure the Shimmer again. A firmware update clears the configuration but does not touch the data on the SD card.

Warning: Shimmer3 and Shimmer3R use different firmware. Programming a Shimmer3 with Shimmer3R firmware, or the other way round, can leave it unrecoverable without returning it to us.

Still stuck? Send us the firmware version you tried, a screenshot of the error, and the LEDs the Shimmer shows when undocked. We may send you a firmware file to program through Other and + on the same tab.

3. LEDs, battery and charging

3.1. What do the LEDs on my Shimmer mean?

Applies to: Shimmer3 and Shimmer3R with current LogAndStream firmware

The upper LED shows what the Shimmer is doing. The lower LED shows its health: battery, charging and errors. These are the patterns we’re asked about most:

TODO(FAQ): Older firmware shows yellow while charging, and the User Manual still says so (it has an open note about this). Confirm from which firmware version charging shows red, and add a note for older firmware here.

The full list of patterns is in the Shimmer3 LED feedback reference.

3.2. My Shimmer’s battery runs down quickly or won’t charge

Applies to: Shimmer3, Shimmer3R

1. Make sure the dock is connected to a powered USB port. A Shimmer left in an unpowered dock discharges.
2. Dock the Shimmer on its own and check its battery level in Consensys.
3. Charge it fully, then time how long it runs undocked.

A battery that has been left flat for a long time charges slowly at first. The User Manual explains how to recover it in Shimmer Battery Performing Poorly, in its troubleshooting section.

Still stuck? Send us the battery level Consensys shows and how long the Shimmer runs undocked.

4. Logging to the SD card and getting your data

4.1. Consensys reports an SD card error, or can’t import my data

Applies to: Shimmer3, Shimmer3R

Your data is usually still on the card. Before anything else, make a copy of it.

1. Dock the Shimmer, right-click it in Consensys and choose Open SD. Check that the folder opens in Windows Explorer.
2. Copy the data folder from the card to your PC before trying anything else. On a Shimmer3R you can also connect the Shimmer directly over USB-C and copy the folder from the drive that appears.
3. Update Consensys and the Shimmer’s firmware, configure the Shimmer, and write the configuration.
4. If you use a multi-unit dock, import from one Shimmer at a time.

Still stuck? Send us the Consensys app logs (Settings → Workspace Directory → Open) and the copy of the data folder. See also PC fails to recognise the SD card in the Shimmer Dock User Guide.

5. Consensys installation and licences

5.1. How do I move my ConsensysPRO licence to another PC, or another Windows user?

Applies to: ConsensysPRO

A ConsensysPRO licence is activated for one Windows user account on one PC. You can deactivate and activate it as often as you need.

To move it to a new PC: deactivate the licence in Consensys on the old PC, then activate it on the new one with the same key.

To use it under a second Windows user on the same PC: deactivate it under the first user, then activate it under the second.

If the old PC no longer works, or Consensys won’t open there, email us your licence key and we’ll release it so you can activate it on the new PC.

TODO(FAQ): Confirm the menu path for deactivating a licence in Consensys 2.x.

5.2. Consensys doesn’t detect my dock or Base after installation

Applies to: Consensys with the Shimmer Dock or Consensys Base, on Windows

The dock and Base connect through an FTDI USB serial driver. If Windows installed the wrong driver, Consensys can’t find them.

1. Unplug the dock or Base.
2. Open Device Manager. Uninstall USB Serial Converter A and USB Serial Converter B, ticking Delete the driver software for each.
3. Restart the PC.
4. Install the latest FTDI VCP driver from ftdichip.com, as an administrator.
5. Plug the dock or Base back in and open Consensys.

Consensys does not support virtual machines, because the dock’s serial ports are not passed through to them.

6. Exporting data

6.1. Export to MATLAB (.mat) stays “In progress” (known issue)

Applies to: ConsensysPRO 2.2.9

When a recording has about 50,000 samples or more per Shimmer, export to MATLAB format doesn’t finish. The .mat files it writes are incomplete. Don’t use them.

1. Export the same sessions as CSV instead. CSV export is not affected.
2. Close the progress window when the CSV export finishes.

This will be fixed in the next ConsensysPRO release.

TODO(FAQ): Name the release that fixes it, then move this entry to a “fixed in” note.

7. Signal quality

7.1. How do I get a reliable GSR signal?

Applies to: Shimmer3 GSR+, Shimmer3R GSR+

1. Place the electrodes on the palm side of the end segments of the index and middle fingers, on the same hand every session. For participants who move around, the palm (thenar and hypothenar) is a steadier site.
2. Clean the skin lightly and let it dry completely. Don’t use lotion.
3. Fit the electrodes snugly without squeezing the skin.
4. Keep the cable from moving.
5. Wait 5 to 10 minutes before taking a baseline. Drift in the first few minutes is normal.

Typical resting skin conductance is about 2 to 10 µS. It varies widely between people and between sessions, so compare responses within each participant rather than absolute values across sessions.

More detail is in the GSR+ User Guide.