EKTOS assists Wear & Care Technologies in developing sensor technology for adult diapers by pre-compliance testing

Company

Wear & Care Technologies, a company focused on welfare technology, has developed the Wear&Care system—a wireless monitoring device for adult diapers aimed at improving care efficiency and quality of life for elderly patients.

As the aging population grows, Denmark’s elder care system is facing increased demand, and the Wear&Care system offers a promising solution to help caregivers better manage incontinence care.

Challenge

The Danish elder care system spends more than two billion DKK annually on incontinence management, and costs are projected to rise with an aging population.

Wear & Care Technologies sought to develop a non-invasive solution to monitor adult diaper humidity levels and alert caregivers at the optimal time for a diaper change. The goal was to improve both patient comfort and staff efficiency.

However, the product had to meet strict regulations across three directives: medical equipment, low voltage, and radio equipment. Ensuring compliance while preserving functionality and reliability presented a technical and regulatory challenge.

Solution

Wear & Care Technologies collaborated with EKTOS to conduct rigorous testing and optimize the product’s compliance. The Wear&Care system consists of a 65 cm sensor strip attached to a diaper, connected to a small box containing a data logger and radio transmitter.

When humidity is detected, an alert is sent to local Wi-Fi and forwarded to the care facility’s communication system, notifying staff via a DECT phone or SMS.

EKTOS Testing & Reliability Services, accredited for medical and radio equipment standards, played a crucial role in testing against each directive’s requirements.

The expert team guided Wear & Care through low voltage compliance for the 5-volt charger and radio compliance due to the built-in transmitter. The system also had to withstand 15,000 kilovolts of static electricity for user safety when connecting or disconnecting the box.

EKTOS further helped by performing guided free fall tests, dropping the equipment from various heights and angles to confirm the device’s durability. This testing ensured the product could withstand daily use in healthcare settings, minimizing potential issues.

Results

The collaboration allowed Wear & Care to meet all compliance standards while refining the product design. With EKTOS’s guidance, the team resolved product weaknesses identified during testing, enabling them to make adjustments efficiently and cost-effectively.

“Having EKTOS on board has been a big help for us. They are experts, and that has saved time and resources,” said Elvin S. Solberg, CTO of Wear & Care Technologies.

Wear & Care Technologies pre-launched the system in June 2019 at ten care facilities across Denmark, Germany, and Norway, gathering critical feedback to refine the product before its wider release later that year.

“We have discussed different solutions to product weaknesses, shown by the tests. This is a good way to cooperate, as you can continuously adjust the design with a minimum of cost,” added Solberg.