Various examples of a wearable sensor enclosure are described. In an example, a wearable sensor enclosure is generally oval-shaped with rigid interior that protects one or more sensors or other electronic devices. The enclosure includes a proximal component and a distal component. The proximal component of the enclosure optionally includes one or more openings for light to pass through for detection by sensing electronic devices. The distal component includes a protrusion positioned in an interior of the distal component and a lip positioned in along the perimeter of the distal component such that the lip surrounds the protrusion.

Various examples are described for detecting heart rate and respiratory rate by using measurements of light applied to skin through an article. For example, a sensor application obtains a set of measurements of light. The application compensates for a contribution of the article based on one or more known optical properties of the article. The sensor application further determines, from the set of measurements of light, a periodic change in amplitude. The sensor application identifies the periodic change in amplitude as a heart rate having an identical periodicity. The sensor application identifies a respiratory rate as equal to the rate of change of the heart rate.

The present invention relates to absorbent articles comprising at least one attachment region for securing a wearable sensing device and further comprising visible placement indicia aligned with the attachment region wherein the visible placement indicia aids the placement of the wearable sensing device on the absorbent article. The present invention further relates to a system comprising the absorbent article and the wearable sensing device.

The present invention further relates to a method for manufacturing an absorbent article comprising visible placement indicia aligned with a wetness indicator and/or attachment region.

Systems and methods for detecting determining a volume of urine in an absorbent article such as a diaper. A diaper loading application obtains a first measurement of ambient light received from a photodetector while a light source is off and a second measurement from the photodetector while the light source is transmitting light on an absorbent article. The application determines a normalized measurement of light reflected from an absorbent article by removing an ambient light signal from the second measurement based on the first measurement. The application determines, from the normalized measurement, a presence of urine in the absorbent article. The application further determines an estimated volume of urine in the absorbent article, wherein the determining is based on an elapsed time since the presence of urine and an activity state of an infant wearing the absorbent article.

A patient support apparatus includes a frame and a mattress supported by the frame and arranged to support a patient thereon. A sensor is included to detect moisture on the patient and/or the patient support apparatus. The sensor produces signals indicative of the presence of moisture on the patient support apparatus. One or more alerts are output in response to the signals provided by the sensor to notify a caregiver of the presence of moisture on the patient support apparatus.

The invention relates to a surgical sponge which includes multiple plies of gauze and stitches. The multiple plies of gauze has one or more open sides. The stitches are adapted to fasten or close the open sides. The stitches are made with one or more contrasting threads.

A method of adding sensing of moisture and other characteristics into a garment such as a diaper, incontinence garment, brief, or underwear is disclosed. The primary design intent is optimal moisture detection, low per unit cost, and wide-scale data analysis of groups of patients. The embodiments place various forms of electrodes within a garment, and measuring the electrical properties of the electrodes to determine if the garment has contacted moisture. The embodiments herein could be used for sensing incontinence, sensing perspiration, and detecting failure of protective garments, among other purposes. The target moisture is urine and feces; however, other sources of body moisture can also be sensed. A specialized mesh network achieves accuracy of the information obtained, as well as redundancy and timely updating of that information.

A hot melt wetness indicator comprising an adhesive base composition utilizing a halogen-free species, namely nitrazine yellow, to trigger color change in hygiene articles, such as disposable diapers, to serve as moisture or wetness indicator upon insult. In some embodiments of the invention, the wetness indicator turns from yellow to purple.

A sensor system for detecting a property of or within an absorbent article may comprise an absorbent article and a sensor. The absorbent article may comprise a garment-facing layer and an absorbent assembly. The sensor may be disposed in and/or on the absorbent article. The sensor may be separable from the absorbent article. The sensor may be configured to sense a change in condition within the absorbent article.

An embodiment of the undergarment can include an undergarment liner comprising a top layer; a bottom layer; an absorption layer; and a garment adhesive layer. The top layer can be oriented as the upper most layer and is the layer that comes in contact with the wearer of the liner. The absorption layer is oriented between the top layer and the bottom layer. The garment adhesive layer can comprise a coupling surface and an adhesion surface. The coupling surface opposes adhesion surface. The undergarment liner also comprises a first perforation line that extends through each layer and subdivides the undergarment liner into a plurality of subsections.