Self-powered wireless disposable sensor for welfare application

Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2013:2013:1664-7. doi: 10.1109/EMBC.2013.6609837.

Abstract

A self-powered urinary incontinence sensor consisting of a flexible urine-activated battery and a wireless transmitter has been developed as an application for wireless biosensor networks. The flexible urine-activated battery is embedded in a disposal diaper and makes possible both the sensing of urine leakage and self-powered operation. An intermittent power-supply circuit that uses an electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC) with a small internal resistance suppresses the supply voltage drop due to the large internal resistance of the battery. This circuit supplies the power to a wireless transmitter. A 315-MHz-band wireless transmitter performs low-power operation. To verify the effectiveness of the circuit scheme, we fabricated a prototype sensor system. When 80 cc of urine is poured onto the diaper, the battery outputs a voltage of 1 V; and the sensor can transmit an ID signal over a distance of 5 m.

MeSH terms

  • Absorbent Pads
  • Biosensing Techniques / instrumentation
  • Biosensing Techniques / methods*
  • Delivery of Health Care
  • Electric Power Supplies
  • Electrodes
  • Humans
  • Manganese Compounds / chemistry
  • Monitoring, Physiologic
  • Oxides / chemistry
  • Urinary Incontinence / diagnosis*
  • Wireless Technology

Substances

  • Manganese Compounds
  • Oxides
  • manganese oxide