Smartrac Launches UHF Moisture-Sensing Inlay for Healthcare Applications

Smartrac has launched Sensor Patch, the industry’s first passive UHF moisture-sensing inlay for healthcare applications, at the LogiMAT 2016 tradeshow in Stuttgart, Germany. This RFID product results from Smartrac’s collaboration with sensor specialist RFMicron.
 
Today, industrialized countries are seeing the number of people in need of geriatric care climbing steeply, and care providers are struggling with the problem of managing urinary incontinence and associated skin irritations. A solution based on Smartrac’s Sensor Patch might offer relief: disposable moisture sensing inlays that can be attached to the outside of any diaper to avoid irritation.
 
In industrial diaper production, the inlays can also be placed invisibly, between the diaper’s layers. Caregivers would be equipped with mobile reading devices enabling them to remotely detect if an incontinence event has occurred within roughly 1.5 meters/5 feet. The cost of inlays and readers would pay off quickly – in terms of both reduced time allocated to patient toileting, as well as increased patient dignity and quality of life.
 
Sensor Patch is a result of Smartrac’s cooperation with sensor specialist RFMicron. Equipped with RFMicron’s Magnus S2 chip, the latest passive UHF single-chip sensor solution offers cost-efficiency and hassle-free implementation.
 
One major benefit of Smartrac’s product line of sensor inlays is its versatility, which opens up a wide array of industrial applications as well. While Sensor Patch works well on textiles, pulps and nonwoven materials, Sensor DogBone functions well on cardboard, plastics, stone, wood, construction materials, and Sensor Tadpole is ideally suited for metal environments.
 
“Traditional sensors exploit changes in resistance to measure environmental variables, but this results in reduced tag read range due to power dissipated in the resistance,” said Peter Walendy, SVP, Intelligent Things Business Division at Smartrac Technology Group, said “With their ability to use inductance or capacitance, our Smartrac sensor inlays effectively avoid read-range issues. Thus they offer great performance in diverse and challenging circumstances, and accurately detect and measure moisture levels in a wide array of environments and areas of application – be it industrial production or geriatric care.”