• Login
    • Join
  • FOLLOW:
  • Subscribe Free
    • Magazine
    • eNewsletter
    Checkout
    • Magazine
    • News
    • Opinions
    • Top 30
    • Research
    • Supply Chain
    • Device Sectors
    • Directory
    • Events
    • Resources
    • Microsites
    • More
  • Magazine
  • News
  • Opinions
  • Top 30
  • Research
  • Supply Chain
  • Device Sectors
  • Directory
  • Events
  • Resources
  • Microsites
  • Current / Back Issues
    Features
    Editorial
    Digital Edition
    eNewsletter Archive
    Our Team
    Editorial Guidelines
    Reprints
    Subscribe Now
    Advertise Now
    Top Features
    Seeking a Revolution in Clinical Care Through AI

    Diversifying Supply Chains: New Opportunities Post Pandemic and After Brexit

    Addition by Subtraction: The Latest of Machining for Medtech

    Innovation Incubators: An R&D Roundtable

    Virtual Allies: Electronics Manufacturing Services Providers Offer Real Solutions
    OEM News
    Supplier News
    Service / Press Releases
    Online Exclusives
    Press Releases
    People in the News
    Product & Service Releases
    Supplier News
    Medtech Makers
    Technical Features
    International News
    Videos
    Product & Service Releases
    Live From Shows
    Top News
    January AI Raises $8.8 Million in New Funding

    FDA Clears Ava Fertility Tracking Wearable Device

    First Patient in Europe Treated With Diamondback 360 Coronary Orbital Atherectomy System

    Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning Adoption in Healthcare to Grow Considerably

    Japan to Lead APAC Assisted Reproductive Technology Devices Market
    From the Editor
    Blogs
    Guest Opinions
    Top Opinions
    Seeking a Revolution in Clinical Care Through AI

    Diversifying Supply Chains: New Opportunities Post Pandemic and After Brexit

    Addition by Subtraction: The Latest of Machining for Medtech

    Innovation Incubators: An R&D Roundtable

    Virtual Allies: Electronics Manufacturing Services Providers Offer Real Solutions
    Top 30 Medical Device Companies
    Market Data
    White Papers
    Top Research
    Rethink Your Medtech ASC Strategy, Part 1

    Pandemic-Level Playing Field: How COVID-19 Made Space for Progress

    Tips for Reigniting Your MDR/IVDR Preparation

    Three Major Innovation Opportunities for Biomedical Textiles

    Use Vertical Integration to Increase Productivity, Drive Innovation
    3D/Additive Manufacturing
    Contract Manufacturing
    Electronics
    Machining & Laser Processing
    Materials
    Molding
    Packaging & Sterilization
    R&D & Design
    Software & IT
    Testing
    Tubing & Extrusion
    Cardiovascular
    Diagnostics
    Digital Health
    Neurological
    Patient Monitoring
    Surgical
    Orthopedics
    All Companies
    Categories
    Company Capabilities
    Add New Company
    Outsourcing Directory
    Qosina Corp.

    Unicep

    Medicoil

    MW Life Sciences

    FUTEK Advanced Sensor Technology Inc.
    MPO Summit
    Industry Events
    Webinars
    Live From Show Event
    Industry Associations
    Videos
    Career Central
    eBook
    Slideshows
    Top Resources
    Refurbished Medical Equipment Testing and Certification Under the NEC

    Taking the First Step with Metal Components

    4 Trends Driving Medical Manufacturing in 2021

    Pioneering AI Solutions to Reinforce Healthcare Services

    The 8 Major Types of PPE Supply Chain Fraud
    Companies
    News Releases
    Product Releases
    Press Releases
    Product Spec Sheets
    Service Releases
    Case Studies
    White Papers
    Brochures
    Videos
    Outsourcing Directory
    Unicep

    Concise Engineering

    Medicoil

    Forefront Medical Technology

    Qosina Corp.
    • Magazine
      • Current/Back Issues
      • Features
      • Editorial
      • Columns
      • Digital Editions
      • Subscribe Now
      • Advertise Now
    • News
    • Directory
      • All Companies
      • ALL CATEGORIES
      • Industry Associations
      • Company Capabilities
      • Add Your Company
    • Supply Chain
      • 3D/Additive Manufacturing
      • Contract Manufacturing
      • Electronics
      • Machining & Laser Processing
      • Materials
      • Molding
      • Packaging & Sterilization
      • R&D & Design
      • Software & IT
      • Testing
      • Tubing & Extrusion
    • Device Sectors
      • Cardiovascular
      • Diagnostics
      • Digital Health
      • Neurological
      • Patient Monitoring
      • Surgical
      • Orthopedics
    • Top 30 Company Report
    • Expert Insights
    • Slideshows
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Resources
    • eBook
    • Infographics
    • Whitepapers
    • Research
      • White Papers
      • Case Studies
      • Product Spec Sheets
      • Market Data
    • MPO Summit
    • Events
      • Industry Events
      • Live From Show Events
      • Webinars
    • Microsite
      • Companies
      • Product Releases
      • Product Spec Sheets
      • Services
      • White Papers / Tech Papers
      • Press Releases
      • Videos
      • Literature / Brochures
      • Case Studies
    • About Us
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Advertise with Us
      • eNewsletter Archive
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of Use
    Breaking News

    Low-Cost 'Smart' Diaper Notifies Caregiver When Wet

    Design combines a common diaper material with RFID technology.

    Low-Cost
    A new disposable, affordable “smart” diaper embedded with an RFID tag is designed by MIT researchers to sense and communicate wetness to a nearby RFID reader, which in turn can wirelessly send a notification to a caregiver that it’s time for a change. Image courtesy of MIT News.
    Related CONTENT
    • Noninvasive Spectroscopy Could Monitor Blood Glucose
    • TISSIUM Closes 39 Million Euro Series B Funding Round
    • Nanoparticle Orientation Could Enhance Drug Delivery
    • Delivering the Goods: The Evolving World of Combination Products
    • From Genome Sequencing to the World’s First Portable MRI
    Jennifer Chu, MIT News Office02.18.20
    For some infants, a wet diaper is cause for an instant, vociferous demand to be changed, while other babies may be unfazed and happy to haul around the damp cargo for lengthy periods without complaint. But if worn too long, a wet diaper can cause painful rashes, and miserable babies—and parents.
     
    Now MIT researchers have developed a “smart” diaper embedded with a moisture sensor that can alert a caregiver when a diaper is wet. When the sensor detects dampness in the diaper, it sends a signal to a nearby receiver, which in turn can send a notification to a smartphone or computer.
     
    The sensor consists of a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, that is placed below a layer of super absorbent polymer, a type of hydrogel that is typically used in diapers to soak up moisture. When the hydrogel is wet, the material expands and becomes slightly conductive—enough to trigger the RFID tag to send a radio signal to an RFID reader up to 1 meter away.
    The researchers say the design is the first demonstration of hydrogel as a functional antenna element for moisture sensing in diapers using RFID. They estimate that the sensor costs less than 2 cents to manufacture, making it a low-cost, disposable alternative to other smart diaper technology.
     
    Over time, smart diapers may help record and identify certain health problems, such as signs of constipation or incontinence. The new sensor may be especially useful for nurses working in neonatal units and caring for multiple babies at a time.
     
    Pankhuri Sen, a research assistant in MIT’s AutoID Laboratory, envisions that the sensor could also be integrated into adult diapers, for patients who might be unaware or too embarrassed to report themselves that a change is needed.
     
    “Diapers are used not just for babies, but for aging populations, or patients who are bedridden and unable to take care of themselves,” Sen said. “It would be convenient in these cases for a caregiver to be notified that a patient, particularly in a multibed hospital, needs changing.”

    “This could prevent rashes and some infections like urinary tract infections, in both aging and infant populations,” adds collaborator Sai Nithin R. Kantareddy, a graduate student in MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering.
     
    Sen, Kantareddy, and their colleagues at MIT, including Rahul Bhattacharryya and Sanjay Sarma, along with Joshua Siegel at Michigan State University, have published their results in the journal IEEE Sensors. Sarma is MIT’s vice president for open learning and the Fred Fort Flowers and Daniel Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering.
     
    Sticker Sense
    Many off-the-shelf diapers incorporate wetness indicators in the form of strips, printed along the outside of a diaper, that change color when wet—a design that usually requires removing multiple layers of clothing to be able to see the actual diaper.

    Companies looking into smart diaper technology are considering wetness sensors that are wireless or Bluetooth-enabled, with devices that attach to a diaper’s exterior, along with bulky batteries to power long-range connections to the internet. These sensors are designed to be reusable, requiring a caregiver to remove and clean the sensor before attaching it to each new diaper. Current sensors being explored for smart diapers, Sen estimates, retail for over $40.
     
    RFID tags in contrast are low-cost and disposable, and can be printed in rolls of individual stickers, similar to barcode tags. MIT’s AutoID Laboratory, founded by Sarma, has been at the forefront of RFID tag development, with the goal of using them to connect our physical world with the internet.
     
    A typical RFID tag has two elements: an antenna for backscattering radio frequency signals, and an RFID chip that stores the tag’s information, such as the specific product that the tag is affixed to. RFID tags don’t require batteries; they receive energy in the form of radio waves emitted by an RFID reader. When an RFID tag picks up this energy, its antenna activates the RFID chip, which tweaks the radio waves and sends a signal back to the reader, with its information encoded within the waves. This is how, for instance, products labeled with RFID tags can be identified and tracked.
     
    Sarma’s group has been enabling RFID tags to work not just as wireless trackers, but also as sensors. Most recently, as part of MIT’s Industrial Liason Program, the team started up a collaboration with Softys, a diaper manufacturer based in South America, to see how RFID tags could be configured as low-cost, disposable wetness detectors in diapers. The researchers visited one of the company’s factories to get a sense of the machinery and assembly involved in diaper manufacturing, then came back to MIT to design a RFID sensor that might reasonably be integrated within the diaper manufacturing process.
     
    Tag, You’re It
    The design they came up with can be incorporated in the bottom layer of a typical diaper. The sensor itself resembles a bow tie, the middle of which consists of a typical RFID chip connecting the bow tie’s two triangles, each made from the hydrogel super absorbent polymer, or SAP.
     
    Normally, SAP is an insulating material, meaning that it doesn’t conduct current. But when the hydrogel becomes wet, the researchers found that the material properties change and the hydrogel becomes conductive. The conductivity is very weak, but it’s enough to react to any radio signals in the environment, such as those emitted by an RFID reader. This interaction generates a small current that turns on the sensor’s chip, which then acts as a typical RFID tag, tweaking and sending the radio signal back to the reader with information—in this case, that the diaper is wet.
     
    The researchers found that by adding a small amount of copper to the sensor, they could boost the sensor’s conductivity and therefore the range at which the tag can communicate to a reader, reaching more than 1 meter away.
     
    To test the sensor’s performance, they placed a tag within the bottom layers of newborn-sized diapers and wrapped each diaper around a life-sized baby doll, which they filled with saltwater whose conductive properties were similar to human bodily fluids. They placed the dolls at various distances from an RFID reader, at various orientations, such as lying flat versus sitting upright. They found that the particular sensor they designed to fit into newborn-sized diapers was able to activate and communicate to a reader up to 1 meter away when the diaper was fully wet.
     
    Sen envisions that an RFID reader connected to the internet could be placed in a baby’s room to detect wet diapers, at which point it could send a notification to a caregiver’s phone or computer that a change is needed. For geriatric patients who might also benefit from smart diapers, she said small RFID readers may even be attached to assistive devices, such as canes and wheelchairs to pick up a tag’s signals.
     
    This research was supported in part by Softys under the MIT Industry Liason Program.
    Related Searches
    • infant
    • vice president
    • polymer
    • mit
    Related Knowledge Center
    • Patient Monitoring
    Suggested For You
    Noninvasive Spectroscopy Could Monitor Blood Glucose Noninvasive Spectroscopy Could Monitor Blood Glucose
    TISSIUM Closes 39 Million Euro Series B Funding Round TISSIUM Closes 39 Million Euro Series B Funding Round
    Nanoparticle Orientation Could Enhance Drug Delivery Nanoparticle Orientation Could Enhance Drug Delivery
    Delivering the Goods: The Evolving World of Combination Products Delivering the Goods: The Evolving World of Combination Products
    From Genome Sequencing to the World’s First Portable MRI From Genome Sequencing to the World’s First Portable MRI
    Double-Sided Tape for Tissues Could Replace Surgical Sutures Double-Sided Tape for Tissues Could Replace Surgical Sutures
    A Timely Triage Test for TB A Timely Triage Test for TB
    Tiny Soft Robotic Device Manages Immune Response to Implants Tiny Soft Robotic Device Manages Immune Response to Implants
    Robotic Thread Slips Through the Brain’s Blood Vessels Robotic Thread Slips Through the Brain’s Blood Vessels
    New Microneedle Patch Delivers Medication New Microneedle Patch Delivers Medication
    Windgo Granted Wearable Products Patent Windgo Granted Wearable Products Patent

    Related Breaking News

    • Digital Health | Patient Monitoring
      Masimo Launches Tool to Support Reopening Schools, Businesses

      Masimo Launches Tool to Support Reopening Schools, Businesses

      Masimo SafetyNet-OPEN helps screen, trace, and manage users as they face COVID-19 and other infectious illnesses.
      Sam Brusco, Associate Editor 02.16.21

    • Digital Health | Patient Monitoring | Software & IT
      FDA OKs CLEW

      FDA OKs CLEW's AI-Based ICU Predictive Analytics Tech

      CLEWICU predicts hemodynamic instability in adult patients.
      Sam Brusco, Associate Editor 02.04.21

    • Digital Health | Patient Monitoring
      Philips Inks Connected Care Solutions Deal with 28-Hospital Dutch SAZ Group

      Philips Inks Connected Care Solutions Deal with 28-Hospital Dutch SAZ Group

      Different SAZ hospitals will start with Philips solutions for patient monitoring and self-management.
      Sam Brusco, Associate Editor 02.04.21


    • Patient Monitoring
      Hillrom Buys EarlySense

      Hillrom Buys EarlySense's Contact-Free Continuous Monitoring Tech

      EarlySense's contact-free continuous monitoring, analytics tech was integrated into the Centrella Smart+ med-surg bed.
      Sam Brusco, Associate Editor 02.01.21

    • Cardiovascular | Patient Monitoring
      Hillrom to Buy Bardy Diagnostics for $375M

      Hillrom to Buy Bardy Diagnostics for $375M

      Advances digital health offering with expansion into attractive ambulatory cardiac monitoring segment.
      PR Newswire 01.19.21

    • Patient Monitoring
      Valencell Launches Blood Pressure Monitoring Tech

      Valencell Launches Blood Pressure Monitoring Tech

      New technology can be built into a myriad of devices to provide accurate blood pressure readings.
      Valencell 01.13.21


    • Chronic Disease | Digital Health | Patient Monitoring
      Teladoc Health, Dexcom Launch CGM Tech, Personalized Insights for Type 2 Diabetes

      Teladoc Health, Dexcom Launch CGM Tech, Personalized Insights for Type 2 Diabetes

      CGM-powered insights offer complete health profile, recommendations that support ongoing diabetes management.
      GlobeNewswire 01.13.21

    • Patient Monitoring
      Unique Contact Lens Sensor System & Manufacturing Process Developed

      Unique Contact Lens Sensor System & Manufacturing Process Developed

      New multifunctional lens can provide diversified signals from eyes.
      Surrey University 01.12.21

    • Patient Monitoring
      Itamar Medical Acquires Spry Health Tech, Assets

      Itamar Medical Acquires Spry Health Tech, Assets

      Leverages Spry’s technology to bring to market first device for continuous remote patient monitoring of sleep apnea.
      GlobeNewswire 01.12.21


    • Patient Monitoring
      CES News: Philips Highlights Healthcare at Home

      CES News: Philips Highlights Healthcare at Home

      Participates in the first-ever all-digital CES 2021.
      Royal Philips 01.11.21

    • Patient Monitoring

      'Smart Ring' Could Spot a Fever Before You Feel It

      Advance could pave the way for early warning system on COVID-19 and flu using wearables.
      University of California - San Diego 12.14.20

    • Cardiovascular | Patient Monitoring
      FDA OKs Volta Medical

      FDA OKs Volta Medical's VX1 AI AFib Mapping Software

      Assists in real-time manual annotation of 3D anatomical, electrical maps of the atria during AFib.
      PR Newswire 12.10.20


    • Patient Monitoring | Software & IT
      AI Metrics

      AI Metrics' Liver Imaging Software Earns FDA Nod

      Early-stage startup approved for low-cost, low-risk, non-invasive procedures for chronic liver disease patients.
      University of Alabama at Birmingham 12.09.20

    • Chronic Disease | Patient Monitoring
      FDA OKs Baxter

      FDA OKs Baxter's Homechoice Claria with Sharesource

      Sharesource is a two-way remote patient management platform for patients on peritoneal dialysis.
      Business Wire 11.23.20

    • Patient Monitoring
      CE Mark Granted for Automated Glycemic Control and Continuous Diagnostics System

      CE Mark Granted for Automated Glycemic Control and Continuous Diagnostics System

      PrecisionOne provides automated glucose regulation and real-time analysis of blood chemistry values for critical care patients.
      PR Newswire 11.23.20


    Trending
    • Portable, Home-Use Device Quickly Measures Inflammation Levels
    • 5 Ways Plastics Revolutionized The Healthcare Industry
    • Hardy Diagnostics Releases Rapid Test For COVID-19
    • TransEnterix Changes Name To Asensus Surgical
    • An Analysis Of The Smart Inhalers Market
    Breaking News
    • January AI Raises $8.8 Million in New Funding
    • FDA Clears Ava Fertility Tracking Wearable Device
    • First Patient in Europe Treated With Diamondback 360 Coronary Orbital Atherectomy System
    • Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning Adoption in Healthcare to Grow Considerably
    • Japan to Lead APAC Assisted Reproductive Technology Devices Market
    View Breaking News >
    CURRENT ISSUE

    January/February 2021

    • Seeking a Revolution in Clinical Care Through AI
    • Diversifying Supply Chains: New Opportunities Post Pandemic and After Brexit
    • Addition by Subtraction: The Latest of Machining for Medtech
    • Innovation Incubators: An R&D Roundtable
    • Virtual Allies: Electronics Manufacturing Services Providers Offer Real Solutions
    • View More >

    Cookies help us to provide you with an excellent service. By using our website, you declare yourself in agreement with our use of cookies.
    You can obtain detailed information about the use of cookies on our website by clicking on "More information”.

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms And Conditions
    • Contact Us

    follow us

    Subscribe
    Nutraceuticals World

    Latest Breaking News From Nutraceuticals World

    Preliminary Study Links Markers of Impaired Bone Health to Vegan Diet
    Refined Grains Linked to Heart Attack Risk, Early Death
    Kappa Bioscience Extends Research Partnership For COVID-19 Research
    Coatings World

    Latest Breaking News From Coatings World

    Nippon Paint Marine Wins Korea Export Award
    Universal Display Corporation, PPG Expand Global Production of UniversalPHOLED Materials
    PPG Introduces Premium Iso-free Primer Surfacer, Catalyst
    Medical Product Outsourcing

    Latest Breaking News From Medical Product Outsourcing

    January AI Raises $8.8 Million in New Funding
    FDA Clears Ava Fertility Tracking Wearable Device
    First Patient in Europe Treated With Diamondback 360 Coronary Orbital Atherectomy System
    Contract Pharma

    Latest Breaking News From Contract Pharma

    Spark Therapeutics Appoints CTO
    Cryoport Launches ESG Program
    U.S. Govt. Purchases 100k Doses of Lilly's COVID-19 Antibody Cocktail
    Beauty Packaging

    Latest Breaking News From Beauty Packaging

    The Top Beauty Products of 2021, According to HelloGiggles
    Estée Lauder Taps Ana de Armas as Global Brand Ambassador
    Sephora Announces Significant Expansion
    Happi

    Latest Breaking News From Happi

    Cosmetic Chemical Sales To Post CAGR 5.8% To 2025
    ACI Urges Senate to Approve Regan as EPA Administrator
    Estée Lauder Signs Actress Ana de Armas
    Ink World

    Latest Breaking News From Ink World

    Etiflex Enters New Markets with Nilpeter FA-22 Installation
    Hydrocarbon Solvents Market to Surpass $8.1 Billion by 2030
    Marshall & Bruce Adds Koenig & Bauer Rapida 106 41-Inch Seven-Color Press
    Label & Narrow Web

    Latest Breaking News From Label & Narrow Web

    FTA converts Forum & INFOFLEX to virtual events
    Xeikon launches two new digital label printing presses
    UFlex adds capacity in packaging films
    Nonwovens Industry

    Latest Breaking News From Nonwovens Industry

    Texas Medical Technology Partners with My Protect Kit
    Mexico City Single-Use Plastics Ban Leads to Tampon Shortage
    Believe Diapers Launch in U.S.
    Orthopedic Design & Technology

    Latest Breaking News From Orthopedic Design & Technology

    Fusion Robotics Receives FDA Clearance for Spinal Navigation and Robotics System
    Kaia Health Unveils Next-Gen Complete MSK Care Solutions
    First Implantation of CTL Amedica's Minimally Invasive Flex Tower
    Printed Electronics Now

    Latest Breaking News From Printed Electronics Now

    Comercial Kywi Improves Customer Service, Front-Store Operations with Zebra Mobile Solution
    Global Printed Circuit Board Market Projected to Reach $69.32 Billion by 2027
    Global Smart Glass Market to Register 6.8% CAGR Between 2021-28: Grand View Research

    Copyright © 2021 Rodman Media. All rights reserved. Use of this constitutes acceptance of our privacy policy The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Rodman Media.

    AD BLOCKER DETECTED

    Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors.
    Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker.


    FREE SUBSCRIPTION Already a subscriber? Login