A company in Miami called Smardii is developing a new smart diaper that will monitor for the presence of urine and stool to help keep both senior citizens and infants clean and dry.
Smardii’s flagship product is a small white disk called a ‘puck,’ which can be attached to any pair of disposable diapers.
The sensor will detect when the diaper has been soiled, as well as monitor body temperature, detect abnormalities in urine composition, and even help prevent bed sores by tracking how long it’s been since a person has moved.
‘Some may think it’s funny, but when you go to a nursing home setting and look at the quality of care, it’s very serious,’ Smardii founder Vikram Mehta told ’Investors Business Daily at CES 2020, in Las Vegas last week where the company was demonstrating its products.
One of the most common day-to-day issues in elder care is incontinence, with an estimated 50 percent of adults over 60 suffering from the condition.
If left unaddressed over long periods of time, soiled undergarments can lead to a range more serious problems, including infections, skin breakdowns, pressure ulcers, and even falls.
The sensor communicates with a smartphone or tablet app via a Bluetooth signal, or over Wi-Fi through a Smardii produced Wi-Fi Gateway Device.
The app allows caregivers or parents to track as many as twelve patients or infants simultaneously.
It also provides live readouts of body temperature, time since last diaper change, and presence of stool or urine in the diaper.
The app also stores data over weeks and months to help track long-term shifts in behavior or body function.
