Self-powered Diaper Sensors that Monitor Urine Sugar Levels

I guess file this under one of those,..huh alright...i guess this is sort of cool...and probably helpful and will save some lives maybe?

So...scientists at a university in Tokyo have developed a diaper equipped with a fuel cell that generates electricity from you pissing yourself and this powers sensors that detect your blood sugar level and transmits that data.



www.tus.ac.jp...

Monitoring urine sugar levels is important during early stages of diabetes, and diaper sensors represent an attractive solution. In a recent study, scientists from Tokyo University of Science, Japan, developed a novel self-powered diaper sensor that generates the required electricity directly from urine using a biofuel cell. The proposed device can wirelessly transmit the measured glucose concentration and notify the presence of urine, helping prevent diabetes and simplify patient care greatly.

But how does one generate enough electricity from urine to power a sensor? The answer lies in electrochemistry. The scientists developed a paper-based biofuel cell that, through a pair of reduction-oxidation reactions, outputs electrical power proportional to the amount of glucose in the urine. Important considerations in the design of such biofuel cells are the amount of urine needed to generate enough power and the overall stability and durability of the device. With this in mind, the scientists developed a special anode, the negative terminal of an electrochemical cell, using a process known as "graft polymerization" that allowed them to firmly anchor glucose-reactive enzymes and mediator molecules to a porous carbon layer, which served as the base conductive material.

The scientists tested their self-powered biosensor in diapers using artificial urine at various glucose concentrations. They used the generated energy to power up a Bluetooth Low Energy transmitter, and remotely monitored the measured concentration using a smartphone. They found that the biofuel cell could detect urine sugar in a very short time (within 1 second).

In short, the sensor that Dr. #anda's team has engineered can not only prevent diabetes, but also make diaper management more efficient and responsive without compromising the environment. "We believe the concept developed in this study could become a very promising tool towards the general development of self-powered wearable biosensors," says Dr. #anda.

Let's hope future studies will further improve upon wearable biosensors powered by our own body fluids.

Yes let us all hope. I know that's been up on my list of hopes personally.

What now, will all of us diabetics have to wear diapers.

How about just a sensor you pee on and forget the diaper part.

a reply to: dug88
And they have yet to make a sensor to tell all those idiots their kids are still in the car.

originally posted by: ANNED
What now, will all of us diabetics have to wear diapers.

How about just a sensor you pee on and forget the diaper part.

I'm going to safely assume the product is meant for infants, not grown adults.

a reply to: ANNED

It's Japan, the land of the talking toilet and used panty vending machine. Is this really that surprising taken in context?

originally posted by: ANNED
What now, will all of us diabetics have to wear diapers.

How about just a sensor you pee on and forget the diaper part.

Once this has approval you should expect mandates, we need 100% diapering if we want to stop the spread of beetus-21.

The good news is there will be no more need to stop at the gas station during long trips.

originally posted by: Vector99

originally posted by: ANNED
What now, will all of us diabetics have to wear diapers.

How about just a sensor you pee on and forget the diaper part.

I'm going to safely assume the product is meant for infants, not grown adults.

Look at the image posted, and you will see it's not an infant in the bed.

I can see something that may be better.
Last year I spent almost 4 months in the hospital and got woke up every morning at 3am just so the nurse could take my blood sugar by finger stick.
Then if my blood sugar was high, the nurse would be back an hour later to wake me again to give me insulin.