Summary of IN-VEST-ING IN MENOPAUSE
Menopause symptoms like hot flashes and panic attacks are unpredictable, prompting the creation of Menesto, a smart vest designed to detect and alleviate these issues. This wearable device uses sensors to monitor skin temperature and humidity, triggering a cooling system when distress is detected. It also features a panic button that alerts contacts via a companion app with location data, along with hydration reminders and manual controls, all powered by an Arduino-based microcontroller.
Parts used in the Menesto Vest:
- Thermometer
- Humidity detector
- Fan
- Peltier panel
- Rechargeable 18650 batteries
- ESP8266 microcontroller
- NodeMCU board
- Arduino software environment
- Companion mobile app
- Panic button
Most of us reach for an over-the-counter medicine if we have occasional pain, but menopause doesn’t act like that. Hot flashes don’t build like a headache, dizzy spells don’t wait for a good time, and panic attacks don’t announce themselves. Predicting and addressing sudden hormone shifts is the intent behind Menesto, a vest with sensors, cooling apparatus, and a companion app.
A thermometer and humidity detector monitor the skin for spikes in temperature and moisture to recognize when the wearer is having a hot flash. When an event is registered, a fan blows over a Peltier panel’s cool side and hopefully provides enough chilled air inside the vest. A Peltier panel is a thermoelectric heat engine that moves energy away from one ceramic plate to another, so one half gets cool while the other heats up. Power comes from rechargeable 18650 batteries and all the hardware talks to an ESP8266 on a NodeMCU running Arduino.
The next coolest thing is a built-in panic button (panic attacks and anxiety are less common but experienced by some during menopause) that talks to a companion app to send emails. Anyone on the recipient list receives a message that the wearer is in distress, along with their phone’s location. All the hardware is connected and talking, so a wearable test rig is on the horizon to work out the bugs like circulation and heat shedding. There are other nifty features, like a hydration reminder and manual cooling mode built in.
Source: IN-VEST-ING IN MENOPAUSE
- How does the vest detect a hot flash?
A thermometer and humidity detector monitor the skin for spikes in temperature and moisture. - What mechanism provides cooling inside the vest?
A fan blows over the cool side of a Peltier panel to provide chilled air. - Can the vest send help during a panic attack?
Yes, a built-in panic button sends emails with the wearer's phone location to a recipient list. - What powers the hardware components?
The system runs on rechargeable 18650 batteries. - Which microcontroller controls the device?
An ESP8266 on a NodeMCU running Arduino handles the hardware communication. - Does the vest offer manual control options?
Yes, it includes a manual cooling mode for user-initiated use. - Are there additional health monitoring features?
The vest includes a hydration reminder feature. - What happens when the sensor registers an event?
The fan activates to blow cooled air from the Peltier panel onto the wearer.
