Artificial Feces Composition for Cleaning Product Testing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing artificial feces alternatives are inconsistent and fail to accurately mimic the chemical and physical behavior of real feces, making it difficult to conduct experiments on cleaning products and waste handling without using actual feces, which poses health risks and is culturally repugnant.

Innovation Solution

A composition of artificial feces comprising dried vegetables, fiber, yeast, and fatty acids, with adjustable water content and preservatives, designed to simulate the appearance, texture, and behavior of real feces, allowing for safe and effective experimentation on cleaning products and waste handling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If real feces is used in experiments, then the chemical and physical behavior can be accurately studied, but health risks and cultural repugnance increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of studying feces behaviorVSAvoidhealth risks and cultural repugnance
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates artificial feces that copies the chemical and physical properties of real feces including composition, texture, adhesion, and decomposition behavior. This allows researchers to study feces behavior without handling real feces, eliminating health risks while maintaining experimental accuracy through faithful replication of target properties

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Object-affected harmful factors

If commercially available artificial feces is used, then health risks are reduced, but the results are inconsistent with real feces experiments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehealth risksVSAvoidconsistency with real feces results
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent systematically adjusts multiple parameters including water content (50-80%), composition ratios, texture, and decomposition rate to match real feces properties. This multi-parameter optimization ensures that artificial feces behaves consistently with real feces in cleaning and waste handling experiments while maintaining safety

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The artificial feces uses composite materials including vegetable matter, fiber, yeast, and fatty acids in specific combinations to replicate the complex properties of real feces. This composite approach allows faithful reproduction of chemical and physical behavior including adhesion, cohesiveness, and decomposition patterns

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Ease of manufacture

If artificial feces mimics only a handful of aspects, then manufacturing is simplified, but the applicability to real feces scenarios is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimplicity of artificial feces formulationVSAvoidapplicability to real feces scenarios
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The artificial feces formula is designed to be universally applicable across multiple experimental scenarios including cleaning product testing, waste handling evaluation, absorbent article assessment, and skin contact studies. The composition covers diverse properties such as adhesion to different surfaces, cohesiveness, texture variations, and decomposition behavior, making it versatile for various real feces scenarios

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2691769B1Artificial feces
Publication Date: 2015.01.21 PROCTER & GAMBLE CO
  • EP2691769B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

A composition to simulate feces. A method of using artificial feces to evaluate the efficacy of a cleaning product and/or cleaning procedure. A method of demonstrating the cleaning efficiency of a cleaning product and/or cleaning procedure using artificial feces.