Overview:
A yet2 client is seeking a digital solution to measure hydration status in order to prevent dehydration and monitor recovery from dehydration. The digital solution would use hydration as an indicator for dehydration risk and be able to collect and transmit data. Solutions which are already in the market as well as in earlier developmental stages are within scope, provided lab or clinical data is available on prototypes.
Background:
Dehydration is the deficit of total body water (TBW). It occurs when fluid intake fails to fully replace fluid losses in the body. TBW includes water content contained in tissues, blood, bones, and elsewhere in the body. Most people can tolerate a 3-4 % decrease in TBW without difficulty or adverse health effects but a loss of 5-8% leads to thirst, fatigue and dizziness while >10% decrease causes physical and mental deterioration, accompanied by severe thirst, and any greater losses could lead to death.
Multiple groups within the population suffer from or has the potential to develop dehydration, from medicalized patients to those within the normal population including elderly. This organization is seeking a user-friendly tool that would allow consumers to monitor their hydration status in order to prevent or warn of dehydration and monitor recovery from dehydration.
Constraints:
Components will:
- Measure one or more indicators for hydration status
- Collect and analyze data in real time
- Be simple and user friendly (Little to no education required; easy interpretation)
- Be either single use or continuous use (both are acceptable)
- Have lab and clinical data (data on a prototype is acceptable)
- Not be classified as in vitro diagnostics
Optionally:
- Notify the user when there is a risk of dehydration
- Transmit data
Possible Solution Areas:
Solutions from medical, sports, cosmetics, military, space, etc.