Smart Briefs

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Hello!

I'm working on developing a "smart brief" (a disposable brief with a reusable sensor) that tracks wet events and approximate brief saturation. This connects to an app on the phone and gives notifications accordingly. I'm looking to get some feedback on a couple points:

1. Would individuals who are aware of their incontinence find this kind of product useful? Or do you see this more for individuals (like a son or daughter) who are caring for a parent who struggles to communicate their incontinence or are embarrassed to say something?
2. What kind of features would be most important to have in the app? For example, customizable notifications of when to change based on saturation levels, history/tracking change events, etc...

Thanks!

 

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Hi, great idea. A general saturation notification would be helpfull for everyone i think. Yet for me most important is the wetness on my skin. To prevent diaper rash i have to check inside my diaper because i have little feeling there. My skin can be more wet when i sit down a lot despite it not being saturated completely. A sensor that checks and keeps my skin healthy would be great.

 

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Hi, I think what you are describing would be very beneficial to many of us who want to track and record the amounts of wetness as we work to address and reduce our incontinence. I had a radical prostatectomy in August 2022 and am currently working to reduce my incontinence. I have made headway in this effort but still more to go. I currently "measure" my wetness by the number of pads I use in a 24 hour period. I use light "shield" pads and average 2-3 pads per 24 hours.

Your "smart brief" sounds like it could provide more detailed information on how much wetness, how quickly and periods during the day when more wetness is generated. This would be valuable information.

I think a sensor with the accuity you describe that could be placed within a pad (light shield or maxi) would be easily reusable, convenient, and provide the information you describe.

Thanks and good luck.

 

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To be honest, I wouldn’t find this type of brief usable. I’m sure it would be more expensive due to the technology involved. I have been in diapers a very long time and have found products that work well for me. I know when I need to change. The only thing I can think of for it’s use might be to tell the doctor how many incidents you have over a period of time. It would not be practice for your average user. It more of a novelty item. Thank you for your talents. Try putting your skill to more practical use. This project isn’t in vane as you gained a lot of skill in its development to use in other projects. Thank you for asking our opinions. Hopefully, you’ll get some good suggestions. Good luck in your future endeavors.

 

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It would be more helpful to the son/daughter scenario first I think. But I would find it useful for myself if the price was within reason. It usually always comes down to money it seems like for me. But for others I am sure they would find it useful whether too costly or not.

 

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I agree with Reginald. It could be very helpful for some, but probably would be more expensive. As it is alot of us are using less than stellar products simply because of the price. However, I do applaud your efforts to use your abilities in such a positive way. Pam

 

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I think it’s a fantastic idea and would be useful in all the applications you mentioned. While cost is a concern, I would still find it very useful for us radical prosectomy who are trying to improve our continence. Cost can be mitigated by using your oroduct maybe once a week or once every few weeks or whatever interval a person chooses to see if progress is made over time, using our regular pads/ diapers/ pullups as usual in between checks. I would certainly use such a product in that fashion at the very least to monitor progress. Saturation levels and history tracking would be extremely beneficial for RP users such as myself (I’m 8 months post RP) in my opinion. I respectfully disagree with Chris that it is a novelty item for most RP people- my opinion is that most folks would find the data useful as they stride toward recovery of their continence after RP. In terms of the application for caregivers I would think it would be an extremely valuable tool to those who can afford it. Again, just my opinion.

 

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yes a smart brief could be very useful I would love to try something like this

 

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Sounds good, but what about for overnight use?

 

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I myself wouldn’t find this helpful at this point after 30 years. I do think it might be great for caring for dementia patients, or anything that would help a caregiver or one with low to no mobility. The other thing that might help is to make it in the form of a thin adhesive liner with sensors to place inside whatever the user finds helpful. Many people progress from say a pad to pull-up to taped brief depending on need and circumstance.
Good luck to you!

 

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I am fully incontinent so this could help alert me that I need a change I could see this being used as an alarm for bedwetting to help train to stay dry could you elaborate more on the brief design I along with others do have a preferences for a plastic-backed diaper

 

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I myself wouldn’t find this helpful at this point after 30 years. I do think it might be great for caring for dementia patients, or anything that would help a caregiver or one with low to no mobility. The other thing that might help is to make it in the form of a thin adhesive liner with sensors to place inside whatever the user finds helpful. Many people progress from say a pad to pull-up to taped brief depending on need and circumstance.
Good luck to you!

and there are many variations of briefs thick/thin cloth-like covered vs plastic covered

 

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Great feedback on a variety of fronts, so thank you! Your insight regarding dry skin and saturation, thinking about overnight use, pricing, sharing information with drs, different brief types is all very helpful.

We're working hard to make this cost effective and trying to keep it very simple and easy to use. Our initial product will have the impermeable backing with the more cloth-like outside layer and then the sensor attaches on to the brief. It will have good absorption, but I need to look at overnight use... that's a good question.

Great comments and questions and would welcome any others. Thank you!

 

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Great feedback on a variety of fronts, so thank you! Your insight regarding dry skin and saturation, thinking about overnight use, pricing, sharing information with drs, different brief types is all very helpful.

We're working hard to make this cost effective and trying to keep it very simple and easy to use. Our initial product will have the impermeable backing with the more cloth-like outside layer and then the sensor attaches on to the brief. It will have good absorption, but I need to look at overnight use... that's a good question.

Great comments and questions and would welcome any others. Thank you!

you might want to consider a poly-back as an option, especially with overnight use I personally have experienced chafing and wicking issues with cloth-like covers

 

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@ajcollette1 Hello. I wouldn’t have much use for the sensor unless it could measure content, which I sometimes gave to do before and after receiving Botox, to prove that it helps.

As for cost, I can completely see this becoming a product that insurance and Medicare/Medicaid may pay for.

I think your idea is exceptional and would come in handy, particularly in places like nursing homes where aids need to know when it’s time to change a patient’s diaper. I think it would be particularly helpful for paraplegics or quadriplegics, or folks with neurological issues such as MS.

I have heard a number of people over the years on this forum mention that they use diapers with saturation sensors. I don’t think these are any kind of electronic sensor, they’re just a kind of sticker that shows when the diaper is full.

I can even imagine you turning this into an app that can be on a computer in medical settings, so nurses can be alerted at their desks when they need to change a patient’s diaper. I know when my grandmother was in a nursing home for 15 years with many symptoms including neuropathy, she couldn’t really tell when her diaper was full, and she got a lot of infections because they didn’t change her diaper often enough. I think it’s an area of long-term care that needs improvement. Your device might help!

Keep up the good work!

 

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Hi all! I think this is a great idea, but ABENA has already beat you to the punch.

ABENA Nova is living the best life - with incontinence.

ABENA Nova is changing the world of continence care with a digital incontinence solution for the health care sector, caregivers, residents and relatives.

www.abenanova.com

 

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@snow Thanks for the insights. My background is nursing home administrator, so I have seen firsthand the struggles in that setting and definitely see this being really helpful. But same thought in terms of alert at the nurses' station.

 

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@bobsmith thanks for the info for Abena. I don't see that product for sale. Website is from 2021. Have you used this?

@dpcare good info on the different material types and chafing/wicking issues with cloth like material.

Appreciate all the comments and feedback! Will keep you updated on our progress - hoping to have something available soon so we can start doing some initial use cases.

 

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I believe the Abena x MediSens smart diaper is Europe only right now. I have not used it, but I am curious about them.

 

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I have seen other smart diapers in the past Pampers had something called Lumi if I got the name correct
there have been several attachable sensors like this one:

Amazon.com

and there was an alarm diaper called potty patrol