Title: REVOLUTIONARY SENSOR FOR DETECTING FAECAL INCONTINENCE
Funder: Department of Health and Social Care

Abstract: Faecal Incontinence occurs when someone is unable to perform normal toileting behaviour; it is a devastating social and hygiene problem that affects 2-3% of all adults in the UK. Faecal incontinence undermines dignity, damages skin, risks infection and is distressing for individuals, nurses, care-home staff and relatives alike. We have developed a unique (and recently patented) technology that can reliably detect when a person has passed a stool in an incontinence pad. It uses an optical sensor to detect small quantities of fluorescence light produced by the bacteria present in faeces. The device distinguishes faeces from urine. The sensing technology can be easily inserted or woven into the manufacture of a standard incontinence pad which is then simply connected to a thin, lightweight, wallet-sized, re-chargeable wearable monitor. When a patient passes stool, the device promptly alerts a nursing station or caregiver s mobile phone. We will work with patients directly affected by Faecal Incontinence, their families and other stakeholders including nurses, care home staff and managers, our multi-disciplinary research team intends to use the first round of i4i Connect funding to: Refine our existing prototype sensor such that it can be integrated into a standard, disposable incontinence pad during manufacture Develop a thin, wallet-sized, flexible and re-usable wearable monitor with wireless connectivity to a mobile phone or centralised 'nursing base station' Develop a wireless recharging platform for continuous battery operation of the wearable monitor over several days The 2013 Francis report highlighted public horror and outrage that patients were left to sit in their own excrement. It is hardly surprising that Faecal Incontinence tops the list of health problems that many people consider worse than death. Our proposition is simple; changing soiled incontinence pads 'on demand' will radically transform the dignity and care of individuals suffering faecal incontinence.

Lay abstract: Faecal Incontinence occurs when someone is unable to perform normal toileting behaviour; it is a devastating social and hygiene problem that affects 2-3% of all adults in the UK. Faecal incontinence undermines dignity, damages skin, risks infection and is distressing for individuals, nurses, care-home staff and relatives alike. We have developed a unique (and recently patented) technology that can reliably detect when a person has passed a stool in an incontinence pad. It uses an optical sensor to detect small quantities of fluorescence light produced by the bacteria present in faeces. The device distinguishes faeces from urine. The sensing technology can be easily inserted or woven into the manufacture of a standard incontinence pad which is then simply connected to a thin, lightweight, wallet-sized, re-chargeable wearable monitor. When a patient passes stool, the device promptly alerts a nursing station or caregiver s mobile phone. We will work with patients directly affected by Faecal Incontinence, their families and other stakeholders including nurses, care home staff and managers, our multi-disciplinary research team intends to use the first round of i4i Connect funding to: Refine our existing prototype sensor such that it can be integrated into a standard, disposable incontinence pad during manufacture Develop a thin, wallet-sized, flexible and re-usable wearable monitor with wireless connectivity to a mobile phone or centralised 'nursing base station' Develop a wireless recharging platform for continuous battery operation of the wearable monitor over several days The 2013 Francis report highlighted public horror and outrage that patients were left to sit in their own excrement. It is hardly surprising that Faecal Incontinence tops the list of health problems that many people consider worse than death. Our proposition is simple; changing soiled incontinence pads 'on demand' will radically transform the dignity and care of individuals suffering faecal incontinence.

Research activity codes: 4.1 DISCOVERY AND PRECLINICAL TESTING OF MARKERS AND TECHNOLOGIES
Health categories: ORAL AND GASTROINTESTINAL