Company Invents Electronic Underpants

theodp writes "SIMsystem have created the world's first electric underpants that let you know that you've got issues by texting. Incontinence issues, to be more precise. The new-and-improved skivvies come equipped with a sensor strip that alerts caregivers to wetness via text message. From the technology summary: 'The SIMbox, when fitted into the individual resident's stretchpants (SIMpants), transmits sensor readings from the SIMstrip in the SIMpad® over a wireless network to the SIMserver. The SIMsystemManager software running on the SIMserver then detects key information about continence events and determines when to alert care staff about an event requiring attention.' So, who's going to start an open source project?"

Not a joke

[MyLongNickName]

I know most will understandably make jokes about this. However, this can be a real issue in nursing homes and hospitals. Many patients are incapable of communicating. Manual checking is time consuming and invasive. And from a health standpoint, you need to change someone as soon as possible. Even if you manually check every two hours, do you want your patient sitting in the mess that long? And as anyone who has manned a help desk knows... no matter how good of a job you do, there will be someone to complain that you didn't.

So while funny on the surface, this is a real winner of a product idea.

Re:April 1st already?

[camperdave]

This could be a big help in hospitals, nursing homes, and similar places. Some people have no control and no capability to signal for help.

Server? Why?

[xdor]

This should really be a bluetooth application.

Invent?

[sbeckstead]

No they did not invent electric underpants. Electronic underpants that send an alarm when wet are as old as electricity. They have merely made the embarrassment more private by sending a text or e-mail rather than an audible alarm!