As the average population ages, adult care is an increasing important personal hygiene. Taking care of the continence needs of older adults is becoming much more important. 

As a leading international personal hygiene group, Ontex develops and manufactures products for baby, feminine and adult care. In addition to its own brands, Ontex makes products for leading retailers.

Based on research into customer needs, Ontex is developing the smart diaper and related services to increase the wellbeing of all affected by continence care - patients, professional caregivers, institutions and families - and optimize total cost associated to continence care by reducing the time needed for continence care and resources consumption.

The smart diaper is one of the most promising products to reach the field of continence care, and Ontex has developed an innovative system that features a printed, recyclable sensor in ink that meets the needs of all of the stakeholders.

Ontex’s solution features a high-quality diaper with a printed sensor and a transmitter clipped onto the diaper. It accurately determines the saturation level of the diaper and the risk of leakage, and through its mobile app, alerts care-givers when it is time to change the diaper.

Ontex spokesperson Maarten Verbanck noted that there are benefits of Ontex’s smart diapers, beginning with its recyclability.

“The choice for a reusable device and printed, recyclable sensor in ink is meeting the needs we detected from our customers, wellbeing of our residents and staff and cost-efficiency,” Verbanck observed. “It is also motivated by our design-for-recycling concept (including packaging). We look at every aspect of the life of our products, keeping recycling infrastructure in mind.”

Another key advantage is that the smart diaper reduces the time needed for continence care and resources consumption.

“Our purpose is to collectively reinvent continence care,” Verbanck said. “The key needs for caregivers are wellbeing of patients (emphasis on comfort, safety and sleep through the night policy), to spend less time on change of absorbing aids and linen change due to leaks as well as wound care.

“This solution is the result of the continuous research done on specific needs for continence care (mainly institutional) and the insights learned over these years: Giving care is rewarding but also very challenging as it implies physical effort, intense time dedication and an emotional burden,” he added.

Verbanck noted that there were quite a few challenges to overcome.

“The project requires thorough market intelligence and a cross-functional approach, including production line adaptation and the addition of new expertise in fields like electronic engineering, internet of things, cloud computing and the making of software for front- and backend,” Verbanck noted. “The validation of the multiple components of the solution requires also more time than with traditional ranges but also new and more complex certifications in the domain of medical devices.”

Ontex is the only owner of this solution and its development is fully controlled by Ontex’s R&D, Digital Factory and Healthcare Sales & Marketing teams. “We work together with carefully selected and reputable providers like IT companies and designers,” Verbanck said. “We have filed several patent applications to protect our technology.”

The smart diapers underwent six weeks of testing in normal conditions of use at a senior care facility in Belgium. Verbanck reported that the feedback is excellent.

“The first results of the test are very promising, and carers tell us they have more time for other types of care thanks to the optimized continence care; 82% of the caregivers who tested the smart diaper told us that they would recommend the use of a smart diaper,” Verbanck concluded.