A “smart sock” has been developed by Owlet Baby Care that monitors infant comfort and safety. The information is transmitted via Bluetooth 4.0 to a synced smartphone.
(Update 19-Sep-2023: 'Smart Sock' From Owlet Baby Care Taken off the Market)
The data are available at the swipe of a touchscreen, or on the cloud through any Internet connected device. This may be a revolutionary approach to baby monitoring, changing the game from mere audio/visual monitoring to the utilization of a suite of sensors typically found in consumer electronics.
A relevant use case of this technology may be in the prevention of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). It is believed that an infant’s sleep position is a contributing factor to SIDS. More specifically, it is recommended that infants only sleep on their backs, and never face-down. The new baby monitor developed by Owlet is designed to help prevent this by monitoring the baby’s sleep position and setting off an alarm if a face-down rollover occurs.
David Keller's classic 1928 short story Psychophonic Nurse features an electric diaper that notifies caregivers that the diaper is full of urine:
"...suppose the baby gets wet between times? Suppose it starts to cry?"
"I've thought of that, too. In every diaper there is a fine copper wire. When that becomes wet a delicate current is sent - you understand I mean an electrical current, not a watery one...".
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