As MIT News, researchers at MIT have developed a tiny sensor that can detect the wetness of a diaper and send a signal to the child's guardians to change it. They say the sensor can be made for less than 2 cents, making it suitable for disposable diapers.
This RFID sensor could be embedded in the hydrogel commonly found in disposable diapers. When the diaper is wet, the hydrogel expands and becomes conductive enough to activate the sensor to send a signal to an RFID reader within a one-meter radius, all without batteries. A reader connected to Wi-Fi could be placed next to a crib and send notifications to phone . Alternatively, a small portable reader on a keychain could also alert parents that their baby’s diaper needs changing.
As strange as it may sound, dirty diapers are the number one cause of divorce in America. When a baby has a dirty diaper and cries at night, it disrupts the parents' sleep, which leads to fatigue and arguments between the couple.
Pampers already sells Lumi smart diapers. But they’re expensive and feature a bulky, detachable Bluetooth sensor that requires regular charging and cleaning. It’s a typical “smart” solution that tries to do a lot more than it can, tracking sleep habits in addition to diaper wetness. Huggies also has a Bluetooth that tracks when a diaper is soiled.
The research behind the new RFID sensor was conducted by Pankhuri Sen, Sai Nithin R. Kantareddy, Rahul Bhattacharyya, Sanjay E. Sarma, and Joshua E. Siegel. The results were published today in the journal IEEE Sensors.
