A real-time bladder scanner with an alarm for an active daily life.

Important results from the project

The project had performed feasibility studies and verified the method and constructive architectures of sensors based on conventional electronics. The real-time bladder scanner prototype was built in relatively simple electronic construction without using any complicated and expensive components such as ultrasonic. The project achieved to verify the fundamental part of the method and the techniques and produced a number of working prototypes. The prototype, however, does not cope with human movement, postures and other potential external interference.

Expected long term effects

The project produced a number of working prototypes based on the unique capacitance method with constructive architectures of sensors and conventional electronics. The measurements of capacitance have been verified by a laboratory instrument. The prototype was also tested on several test users and it validated the value change and estimated the maximum urine level with users’ limited physical postures. The customer organizations were contacted and the project learned a number of potential unique usage of the bladder scanner to their specific patients internationally.

Approach and implementation

The project could determine the rough point when the bladder is about reaching the maximum capacity as the increase of capacitance signal flattens. This is the indication for setting the threshold although there is an individual difference. Since commercially available electrodes do not affix to the body firmly, its angle changes with regards to a small movement of the user. It picks up the value of different layers of tissues and the capacitance value is disturbed. The project identified the issues such as the characteristics of electrodes that should be addressed in future work.