Babies can be frustratingly difficult to diagnose and monitor because they cry for a variety of reasons, fight against even being weighed and measured, and can’t explain what they’re feeling. There are a number of conditions that babies are often stricken with that can be detected through the use of urine test strips, but strips are cumbersome to use, especially with young kids who don’t pee on command.
Enter the Smart Diapers from Pixie Scientific, a new company out of New York City, that essentially have the test strips built-in. As the child urinates at its convenience, the liquid makes contact with a square QR code that has the strips surrounding it. Once the colors have settled, the parent uses an accompanying app to take a pic of the test strip. The app automatically recognizes the colors and their location, and provides output on any potential conditions that could be present. These can include urinary tract infections, dehydration, or signs of kidney problems. Pixie Scientific is currently crowdfunding money on Indiegogo to help commercialize the Smart Diapers.
Here’s a company promo video introducing the Smart Diapers:
Product page: Smart Diapers…
Smart Diapers Indiegogo campaign…
(hat tip: Gizmodo)