Building a real-time incontinence monitoring system for smarter patient care

Executive summary

Client: Advosense (Digital Health, Berlin)
Challenge: Lack of a reliable, real-time incontinence monitoring system and an underperforming previous implementation
Our role: End-to-end technology partner - from system architecture to delivery
Outcome: Delivered a reliable, real-time monitoring system that reduced uncertainty in patient care and created a strong foundation for a scalable MedTech product.

Business context

Urinary incontinence affects over 200 million people worldwide, leading to serious complications such as infections, pressure ulcers, and falls.

Advosense set out to build the system that would:

• detect incontinence in real time

• integrate into existing caregiver workflows

• enable faster and more informed decisions

This project went beyond standard software delivery, requiring integration with hardware and adaptation to real-world care environments.

The challenge

The client needed a partner who could take ownership of both the technology and the outcome.

Key challenges:

• unreliable RFID data (noise, false positives)

• real-time processing requirements

• hardware–software integration

• strict compliance and data security requirements

• previous delivery gaps from another vendor

The system had to be accurate, fast, secure and usable in real clinical workflows.

Our role: strategic technology partner

We helped the client move from an underperforming system to a technically validated product foundation.

What this meant in practice:

• advising on architecture and system design

• defining a scalable and maintainable technology stack

• supporting product direction and MVP scope

• balancing speed of delivery with regulatory constraints

We not only built the system, but also co-created the product strategy.

The solution

We delivered an integrated system connecting RFID sensors, cloud infrastructure and a web-based application used by caregivers.

Key capabilities:

• Reliable real-time detection - accurate wet/dry recognition despite noisy RFID data

• Smart alert prioritization - dynamic urgency based on duration (e.g. color change after 30 minutes)

• System reliability and diagnostics - continuous monitoring of devices and network health

Delivery and collaboration

We followed an iterative, transparent delivery model:

• regular progress tracking and communication

• close collaboration with stakeholders

• continuous validation of assumptions

• alignment between technical and business goals

The client had full visibility into progress and decision-making throughout the project.

Security and compliance

Given the healthcare context, we implemented:

• encrypted data handling

• role-based access control

• audit logging

• alignment with regulatory requirements

Security and compliance were treated as core design principles, not add-ons.

The results

The platform enabled reliable, real-time detection of incontinence events, even in the presence of noisy RFID data removing a key technical barrier that previously limited system effectiveness.

Caregivers gained immediate, actionable insights, allowing for faster response and reducing uncertainty in day-to-day decision-making.

By improving visibility into patient status and reducing manual checks, the system streamlined workflows and supported more efficient care delivery.

The project successfully validated a scalable product approach, demonstrating clear potential to improve care quality and operational efficiency while reducing the technical risk associated with further development and scaling.