The Monit “Smart Diaper” Is the Latest Unnecessary Parenting Gadget
Some things, like your baby's diaper, just don't need Bluetooth.
Do you need an electronic device to alert you when your baby has a dirty diaper? If you have basic sensory facilities — eyes that can spot a mess, ears that can hear crying, and a nose that can detect the odor of human feces — then the answer is no. But one such device does exist. Monit, a Korean startup that also makes a baby monitor and a “smart” baby carrier, just introduced a smart diaper at CES.
The Monit Diaper Sensor is a small disc, the approximate diameter of a can of seltzer, that clips to the outside of a diaper. Inside, an array of sensors detect urine or feces while a Bluetooth transmitter buzzes your phone when your baby needs a change.
The companion app collects and tracks this data (of course), in case you’re interested in doing a very deep dive into diaper consumption and urination and defecation patterns. Yes, in theory, this could also help alert you of night wettings and change diapers before rash has a chance to set in, but diapers are so ultra-absorbent now, a missed night-wetting isn’t really that much of an issue. Besides, in practice, diaper rash has more than one cause.
Funny enough, a Monit prototype has been making the rounds for a few years now. Will this be the year it finally hits production? Who knows. The fact remains, however, that while your senses may not come with Bluetooth connectivity and data tracking, the long history of the human race is evidence enough that they’re all you need to keep your kid in clean diapers.
