Pampers and Huggies both introduced smart diapers to attract technology savvy parents.
- Huggies launched a Bluetooth sensor Diaper that texts parents about their babies’ bowel movements in their Monit x Huggies. After launching smart diapers in Korea October 2018, the company appears set to bring the product to the US.
- Pampers worked with a Google subsidiary to come up with a de-attachable Bluetooth activity sensor. The activity sensor attaches easily to a velcro-like patch on the bottom of each Lumi smart diaper and has a battery life of about three months (see photo below). The sensor can track sleep patterns, wetness, and pee, and you can see all the activities with the help of the app.
Source: Pampers
Is it Safe to Use a Smart Diaper? Smart diaper uses Bluetooth similar to our phones and RFID sensor to detect the pee. The sensor does not actually come in contact with your baby's skin. Therefore, smart diaper is as safe as having a mini phone in your diaper.
What Is Meant By a Smart Diaper?
How Smart Diaper works? The "smart" technology can track sleep patterns and wetness. A smart diaper contains an RFID sensor placed under a type of hydrogel. Hydrogel soaks moisture, and when a diaper is wet, this material will expand and sends a signal to the sensor, and you get alert on your phone.
The sensor doesn’t make contact with your baby’s skin, and it just comes in contact with hydrogel. Moreover, the sensor doesn’t use any batteries that can be dangerous. So for now, there are no dangers of using a smart diaper, but further research is required to prove it safe or dangerous.
Pampers Lumi
As the technology is growing, things are also getting smart. Pamper introduced Lumi, and it is an internet-powered diaper system that can track and transmit baby activities to a smart phone. This amazing product can tell you when to change a diaper and how much the baby has slept. Diapers are disposable, but a sensor is fitted to diapers, and data is transmitted to an app, and you can download the app for Android and Apple smartphones.
The app helps you to track how long the baby has been awake, when the diaper was changed last, and when the baby has been fed. You can enjoy the baby care tips from Pamper’s experts. This system has some limitations as well, and it can report only when the baby has peed not pooped. You need to replace the activity sensor every three months and buy Lumi diapers from Pampers to keep the system working.
It isn’t just a smart diaper. It comes with a baby monitor that can capture 1080p footage, and you can view it on the app. Moreover, the camera can monitor the surrounding humidity and temperature. Price is not known as it isn’t listed on the site, but interested parents can sign up to be on the product’s waiting list. Pamper is not the only company in the smart diaper space;
What is Your Responsibility as a Parent?
As a parent, it is your responsibility to protect the baby’s sensitive skin from chemicals and radiation. Babies should be protected instead of exposing them to these dangers. According to a study, younger children absorb more electromagnetic radiation. The brain and nervous system of babies are susceptible to these dangers. So, think about it twice before purchasing such a sensor. You can use a traditional way and regularly check when the diaper needs to be changed.
Is It Cheap to Buy a Smart Diaper?
Some people might think this sensor is cheap because it only costs around $250. Put the price on the side and think about the radiation that your baby will constantly suffer from. This gadget doesn’t help in manual diaper change. As technology is evolving, the time is not so far when robots will change the diapers.
Why Are Smart Diapers Not Good For Babies?
During the first few years, your babies need your full attention. Technology has already separated kids from parents. What will a smart diaper do? It will reduce the contact of parents with kids. They will start relying on apps and sensors instead of manual checking. It means they will put their babies on second priority. Use a traditional way to check wetness and when a diaper needs to be changed. Moreover, you can set the alarm for feeding your baby. In this way, your baby will get much-needed care and attention.
Disadvantages of Smart Diapers
No doubt, smart diapers are a great addition for parents, but they have some disadvantages.
- Pampers hasn’t announced the price of Lumi, and probably it would be much higher than regular old diapers. Disposable diapers are already costly, so every parent can’t afford that.
- These are disposable diapers, so when you run out of diapers, you need to restock them and add to the cost.
- Moreover, Pamper has said that these diapers don’t track poops. It means half of the purpose of the product is missing.
- The sensor can fall off the diaper, and it will make the whole thing pointless.
What Is the Alternative of Smart Diapers?
There have been some incredible technological breakthroughs in the diaper department, and they have simplified the process further. Some diapers contain a yellow line, and it turns blue when the baby pees. So, you don’t have to look inside the diaper. So, you don’t have to invest in expensive sensors to know these things. Moreover, there are some parenting apps that you can download and install in your smartphones. So, there is no need to put your kids at risk.
Conclusion
Are smart diapers safe? It would be too early to say anything about it until further research is done. There are different opinions of people over smart diapers. Some feel it safe because the sensor doesn’t directly contact the baby’s skin, and some feel it dangerous because the sensor emits radiation. So, further research is required to prove it safe or dangerous. Moreover, there are some alternatives that you can use at a minimum price.