Children

Huggies TweetPee app in the (water)works

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TweetPee mounted and ready for action (Photo: Kimberly-Clark)
Is it my imagination, or does TweetPee seem a bit worried about its purpose in life?
TweetPee mounted and ready for action (Photo: Kimberly-Clark)

In what seems like a clear case of technology gone too far, Huggies has revealed a concept device and accompanying iPhone app that clips onto the diaper in the region where natural springs are expected to flow and sends parents a message when a rescue operation is called for.

Dubbed the TweetPee, the bird-shaped humidity sensor is being put through its paces in Brazil where, according to the press release from Huggies parent company Kimberly-Clark, the campaign will include videos showing "the experiences of 10 moms and dads who use the app to streamline and more effectively plan for their purchases."

On the downside, it's been suggested that the effect of early exposure of genitals to microwave frequencies is unknown, and while Kimberly-Clark is at pains to point out that it is not suggesting "parents are unable or too busy to notice when their babies' diapers need changing," it seems that the only likely social outcome of this social media application is to let all your friends know that your attention has wavered.

Don't believe us? The Huggies video promo is below (it's in Portuguese, but you get the picture). We'd love to hear your comments on this wonderful new advance in infant watersports.

Source: Kimberly-Clark

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13 comments
squidfish
Because all children have their own twitter and are willing to have transmitters clipped onto their crotches.
Fahrenheit 451
Utterly disgusting and typical corporate rubbish in the name of money. Interesting how the pilot program is in Brazil and not the US.
bergamot69
I agree with Fahrenheit451, however, as an ex-care worker, I can see the advantage for care staff looking after elderly residents.
Typically, in a British care home, elderly diaper wearers (they are referred to as 'pads' rather than diapers/nappies when worn by adults) are disturbed by carers once or twice a night to see if they are wet. This clearly affects sleep quality.
And elderly people with speech or cognition issues (eg dementia) are not always able to alert carers when they are wet. So this technology could potentially aid carers, but should be properly risk assessed, and not be a replacement for normal good caring practice.
StWils
This is easily as stupid an idea as the fridges with cameras and iphone apps to call you about the state of the fridge contents during your busy day. I have cared for kids of various sizes and generally there is no great mystery or surprise in noticing that someone's diaper has reached it's design load limits. Also, transnational corporations try ideas in various markets to see if stuff flies without risking an outcome like New Coke.
Thebes
Great, now parents are paying the Corporations for the luxury of expanding DARPA's nearly-ubiquitous NSA sensor-net into their own children's pants. Could it be a sign of impending societal implosion?
Josef Soper
If you're gonna be connected then you should be really connected! What about the "other" end?
Phyzzi
How about one that just connect via bluetooth? Why do we need twitter? I like the idea for adult care though - it might even help some old people who have just lost sensation - if it were, you know, a little more private.
Gargamoth
Yea... I just had to log in for this. If any article deserves this it's this one:
WFT!!!! WFT is wrong with some people... Really, F'n psychos
ddddd
All joking aside --- I could see a bigger and significantly more important application for this in geriatric care. Use this to monitor and then alert nursing staff when patients have poo/peed in their diapers so they can be changed quickly rather than having them sit for hours in their on excrement.
Krinda Shah
Great invention, but I think The parents should have better check on their children than a mobile app.