Healthcare Undergarment
Healthcare Undergarment
The development of clothing incorporating the latest advanced in activated carbon cloth technology, with new materials offering the opportunity to design comfortable fitting, convenient and highly efficient odour adsorbing underwear.
Overview
Mr Paul O’Leary, an established local business man, contacted ProspectIP to enquire about innovation support. After 20 years of suffering from a gastric illness he was personally aware of the lack of a usable product on the market, determining that existing products were rudimentary, restrictive, expensive and most importantly did not work. Key to Paul’s proposed innovation was the use of a novel woven activated carbon cloth (ACC), as recent developments in material science have enabled the consistent and cost effective manufacture of 100% activated carbon jersey cloth which generated a more robust, stronger and flexible odour absorbing material.
Background to the invention
Excessive flatulence in many peoples minds conjures images of “one too many” Brussel Sprouts at Christmas, however for the 2 million UK residents who have a permanent digestive disorder and another 2 million who are suffering at any given time but on a temporary basis, the product could make a big impact on their comfort, their self image and their everyday lives.
Following an assessment of the innovation using its due diligence model, ProspectIP agreed to fund the development of a market ready product, and to help the company with its exploitation strategy, with a package of financial support in the region of £50,000.
Market Opportunity
The number of diagnosed sufferers of long term digestive disorders in the UK is believed to be in the region of 1 million. This number is matched by at least 1 million sufferers whose condition remains undiagnosed. Across Europe there the estimated to be greater than 4 million sufferers and greater than 8 million alone in North America.
The principal conditions that create discomfort are IBS, Crohn’s disease, functional dyspepsia and haitus hernias.
• Surveys in the US (over 5000 interviews) put the prevalence of IBS in the US population at >14%.
• IBS prevalence is estimated to be 6-15% in Western countries
• Published figures for the prevalence of dyspepsia vary from 20% to 40%. General practitioners see only a fraction of the dyspepsia, the majority are either ignored or they self-medicate. However, dyspepsia still accounts for about 3-4% of all GP consultations and for about 14% of all patients attending surgeries.
In additional, evidence is indicating that among a global aging population increases are being seen in a wide range of food intolerances which can also lead to high numbers of sufferers of excessive flatus.
Progress/Activities
The performance of the underwear was subject to scientific analysis using gas chromatography technology to determine the levels of filtration achieved. The design of the garment has gone through many prototype stages to arrive at best comfort and fit, as well as a series of wash and drying tests to assess long term performance. The product is being retailed direct to the public via a healthcare website www.myshreddies.com The nature of the product makes it ideal for online retailing and significant sales and interest has been generated from around the world.
Reference
1.See www.wrongdiagnosis.com
2.Irritable Bowel Syndrome in the United States: Prevalence, Symptom Patterns and Impact. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 2005;21(11):1365-1375. A. P. S. Hungin; L. Chang; G. R. Locke; E. H. Dennis; V. Barghout
3.Prevalence of dyspepsia: the epidemiology of overlapping symptoms
Postgraduate Medical Journal, 1994, Vol 70, 154-161. SL Grainger, HJ Klass, MO Rake and JG Williams. Barking Hospital, Essex, UK.