MIT develops a smart nappy with a moisture sensor

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers have developed a smart nappy which alerts smart devices when it gets wet.

The smart nappy, costing only two cents to produce, has a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag mounted under a sheet of an absorbent hydrogel. When the hydrogel gets wet, it expands and activates the RFID tag to give the smart device a radio signal.

The researchers believe smart nappies could help identify and monitor signs of incontinence or constipation in the future. The sensor could also be used in care homes and neonatal units.

A research assistant in MIT’s AutoID Laboratory, Pankhuri Sen, stated: “Nappies are used not just for babies but for ageing populations, or patients who are bedridden and unable to take care of themselves. It would be convenient in these cases for a caregiver to be notified that a patient, particularly in a multibed hospital, needs changing.”

A graduate student in MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sai Nithin R. Kantareddy, stated: “This could prevent rashes and some infections like urinary tract infections, in both ageing and infant populations.”