Ultra-low power one-shot hydration sensing system
AssigneeVerily Life Sciences LLC
InventorsBrian Pepin, Robert Wiser
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A moisture-sensitive device is provided that includes a dissolvable conductive material. Exposure of the dissolvable conductive material to urine or some other fluid causes the dissolvable conductive material to dissolve, increasing an effective resistance of the dissolvable conductive material. This change in resistance can be detected to determine the presence of an aqueous fluid. In response to such detection, a transmitter can then provide a wireless transmission indicative of the presence of the fluid. This moisture-sensitive device can be provided in a diaper and transmissions produced by the device can be detected using a smart phone or other device and used to indicate to a user that the diaper has been soiled.
Claims18
A system comprising:
- a transmitter;
- a moisture sensor, wherein the moisture sensor comprises a dissolvable conductive material, wherein the dissolvable conductive material dissolves in an aqueous fluid, wherein the dissolvable conductive material comprises a plurality of conductive elements disposed within a medium that dissolves in the aqueous fluid such that, when the medium dissolves in the aqueous fluid, the plurality of conductive elements become mechanically disconnected from each other;
- and
- a controller operably coupled to the transmitter and the moisture sensor, wherein the controller:
- operates the moisture sensor to detect the presence of the aqueous fluid proximate the system;
- and
- operates the transmitter to transmit a radio-frequency signal in response to detecting the presence of the aqueous fluid proximate the system.
A method comprising:
- detecting an aqueous fluid using a moisture sensor, wherein the moisture sensor comprises a dissolvable conductive material, wherein the dissolvable conductive material dissolves in the aqueous fluid, wherein the dissolvable conductive material comprises a plurality of conductive elements disposed within a medium that dissolves in the aqueous fluid such that, when the medium dissolves in the aqueous fluid, the plurality of conductive elements become mechanically disconnected from each other;
- and
- responsive to detecting the aqueous fluid, operating a transmitter to transmit a radio-frequency signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.