menstrual health reader - meo
TRANSCRIPT
mEo MENSTRUAL HEALTH READER
Objective
To create awareness about menstruation and to help maintain good menstrual health
Target Audience
All women using any menstrual hygiene product – disposal pads, reusable pads, menstrual cup & cloth. (except tampons)
PROBLEM
What is the primary challenge presently faced in India with respect to menstrual hygiene?
Some say access to menstrual hygiene products is the challenge.
But is it really the big challenge?
DISPOSABLE PADS vs. REUSABLE PADS & MENSTRUAL CUPS
Is the product really the problem?
THE SCENARIO ○ There seems to be an on-going struggle in identifying
the best method to maintain hygiene during menstruation.
○ Disposable sanitary pads are being pushed all over India vs. the west embracing reusable methods like cloth pads which have been long in use in India
○ Perhaps the methods of maintenance (both disposable & reusable) need to be addressed more than the kind of product in use.
THE REAL PROBLEM?
Knowing the level of hygiene of the product being used
HOW DO WE ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM?
There is a necessity to know the user’s level of hygiene irrespective of the product in use.
WHY A WEARABLE DEVICE?
Initial Idea: The initial idea was to work on a smart menstrual cup that is digitally enabled o keep it environmentally friendly & economical.
Will Indian women use a smart menstrual cup? We conducted a primary research with a sample group of 30 women from Tier I, II & III cities in India to understand the market potential for such a product.
PRIMARY RESEARCH Results of the primary research ○ Most women from Tier II & III cities noted that either they are not
aware of menstrual cups or their peers are not aware of it. ○ Indian women even from Tier I & II cities don’t prefer using a
menstrual cup. ○ Even women from Tier II & III are open to use a wearable, reusable
reader with their sanitary pads. ○ 90% of the respondents were open to using a wearable, reusable
reader with their sanitary pads. In conclusion, it makes more sense to design a menstrual health reader usable with any hygiene product rather than build a smart hygiene product.
mEo - MENSTRUAL HEALTH READER
mEo, Menstrual Health Reader is a wearable menstrual health device that can be attached and detached in a convenient manner to any of the menstrual hygiene products to measure different hygiene and health parameters. Components in the device: 1. Arduino 2. HC05 Bluetooth module 3. Level sensor 4. Colour sensor 5. LM35 Temperature sensor 6. Ph sensor 7. Battery
PRESENTING
DEVICE ARCHITECTURE
HARDWARE FUNCTIONAL BLOCK
Proof of Concept
MEDICAL CONDITIONS CAUSING HEAVY MENSTRUAL BLEEDING
• Thyroid problems • Blood clotting disorders such as Von Willebrand's disease, a mild-to-
moderate bleeding disorder • Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a bleeding disorder
characterized by too few platelets in the blood • Liver or kidney disease, leukemia • Medications, such as anticoagulant drugs and some synthetic
hormones. Other reasons could be: infections, fibroids, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, complications from an UID, precancerous conditions of the uterine lining cells. Note that the device eventually aims to diagnose some if not all these above listed conditions.
WHAT DOES THE DEVICE RECORD?
PROOF OF CONCEPT (POC)
Features ○ Blood level and
notification for change of sanitary pad or emptying of menstrual cup
○ Blood colour to measure the quality of blood
○ Blood temperature to indicate the need for ventilation
COMMERCIAL PRODUCT
Features Apart from basic ○ Blood Ph level ○ Hemoglobin level ○ Estrogen level
FUTURE VISIOM Features (Explore the possibility of) ○ Detecting symptoms
of diseases ○ Detecting thyroid and
other hormone levels
APP UI (TENTATIVE)
FUTURE SCOPE
To make it a compact testing unit for a range of conditions that can be assessed from menstrual blood.
VISION FOR mEo
○ To recommend doctors and remedies based on test results
○ Patterns may be mapped in different geographies depending on the test results to take relevant health measures
○ To eventually remove the taboo around menstruation and create awareness
TEAM Brindaalakshmi. K, Founder - Vhoice Copywriter, published author, ex-technology & business journalist Portfolio ○ http://www.medianama.com/author/brindaa/ ○ http://yourstory.com/author/brinda-lakshmi/ ○ https://www.linkedin.com/in/brindaalakshmik
Arun Magesh. M, Co-Founder - Vhoice Innovator, maker and technologist Portfolio ○ Runner-up Urban Hack 2015 conducted by Nasscom ○ Intel Software Innovator in the Global Intel Innovator Program ○ Recognised as 25 under 25 technologists of 2016 ○ https://campusdiaries.com/arunmagesh?qt-profile_menu=0 ○ https://www.linkedin.com/in/marunmagesh ○ http://arunmagesh.com
