Smart Diaper Pail with Optical Fluorescence Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for determining the presence or level of bodily exudate in absorbent articles, such as diapers, often require user interaction that is cumbersome or difficult, such as wearing a sensor.
Innovation Solution
A smart diaper pail that includes a scale to weigh the diaper, a light source to stimulate auto-fluorescence in biological substances, and a photodetector to measure the emitted light intensity, allowing for the detection of biological substances without requiring user interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If existing solutions use sensors worn by the user to detect bodily exudate, then detection capability is achieved, but user convenience deteriorates due to cumbersome interaction
Solution Approach 1:
The diaper pail performs automatic detection of biological substances in the diaper without requiring user action. The system uses a light source to illuminate the diaper, a photodetector to measure fluorescence, and a processor to analyze the data, all occurring automatically when the diaper is placed in the pail.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/wearable sensor system with an optical detection system. Instead of using physical sensors attached to the user, the system uses light emission and photodetection to identify biological substances, eliminating the need for user-worn devices.
2Ease of operation
If a smart diaper pail uses optical detection methods to identify biological substances, then user convenience is improved by eliminating wearables, but device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The diaper pail integrates multiple functions into a single device: weighing the diaper via scale, illuminating it via light source, detecting fluorescence via photodetector, and analyzing data via processor. This multi-functional approach consolidates what could be separate systems into one unified device.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the detection of multiple parameters (weight, fluorescence intensity) into a single integrated system. The processor receives data from both the scale and photodetector, merges this information, and produces a unified determination of biological substance presence, reducing overall system complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The smart diaper pail effectively determines the presence or absence of biological substances in diapers, providing a convenient and non-intrusive method for tracking the health of the wearer by analyzing the weight and fluorescence of the diaper contents.
Implementation Method 1
The light includes a peak excitation wavelength that corresponds to an excitation wavelength of a biological substance such that the light is configured to trigger the biological substance to emit light within a range of emission wavelengths
Implementation Method 2
The photodetector is configured to detect light intensity within the range of emission wavelengths of the biological substance and to output a measurement of the light intensity
Data Source
AI summary
A diaper pail is disclosed. The diaper pail includes a scale configured to determine a weight of an absorbent article. The diaper pail further includes a light source positioned to transmit light at an excitation wavelength of a biological substance. The diaper pail further includes a photodetector positioned to detect a measurement of light intensity within the range of emission wavelengths of the biological substance. The diaper pail includes a processor that is configured to execute processor-executable instructions to receive the weight of the absorbent article and the measurement of light intensity and to detect a presence of the biological substance on the absorbent article.