Volume-Sensing Personal Hydration System

Dehydration is a major problem facing our troops, who by necessity are physically active, weighed down by numerous pieces of armor and equipment, and serve in warm, dry climates. Our troops each carry a supply of liquid and are trained to stay hydrated, however this does not guarantee against dehydration. Some soldiers run out of liquid well before they have a chance to refill, while others nurse their supply too much. They currently have no quick, easy way of monitoring their liquid supply, which can lead to dehydration and the concomitant physical impairments. In this Phase I program, Infoscitex proposes a simple, robust system that utilizes capacitive sensing to determine the volume of water in a collapsible bladder canteen. The information calculated by our system is presented to the soldier as a quantity, as well as a visual representation of how much liquid is left in the canteen. Our system is composed entirely of solid state elements and does not come into contact with the sensed liquid. These factors ensure that our system is robust, with operational parameters that withstand multiple uses, extreme temperatures and austere environments. We anticipate that our system will prove invaluable not only for the military, but also in the very broad sports market.