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UMD Scientists Create 'Smart Underwear' to Measure Human Flatulence

72 pointsby ohjeeztoday at 3:45 PM45 commentsview on HN

Comments

evanjrowleytoday at 7:54 PM

I considered becoming and early adopter but decided my needs would be better served after someone develops an industrial/Mil-Spec variant with wider range of operating temperatures, environmental resistance, and impact rating.

gundmctoday at 5:47 PM

Mythbusters made a version of this in an unaired segment of their 2006 episode about passing gas https://youtu.be/RHcDP_Yew-g?si=T7AONGdXPd4d_gM3

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shwajtoday at 7:26 PM

I need a pair that can measure pitch and timbre.

MrWifflestoday at 6:21 PM

I’ll remind us all that the subject of human flatulence has been one of interest for some of history’s greatest minds - and humorists - for several centuries at the very least:

https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-32-02-02...

impish9208today at 5:44 PM

Some PM somewhere is asking when this API will be available in the browser so that their site and its 413 trusted partners can delight their visitors with more relevant ads.

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SoftTalkertoday at 4:39 PM

My first question was: who funded this? Seems like a candidate for a Proxmire Golden Fleece Award.

This research was supported by the University of Maryland, the Maryland Innovation Initiative Phase I and the UM Ventures Medical Device Development Fund.

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tomkarhotoday at 7:29 PM

Waiting on the legislation demanding that every underwear must have these "safety" features and then someone will insert a meter to those and start taxing us for every single puff.

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svilen_dobrevtoday at 7:52 PM

digital Farthings, here they come

shermantanktoptoday at 4:23 PM

When gas hits $5 a gallon at the pump, scientists get creative.

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zoklet-enjoyertoday at 4:18 PM

Future Ig Nobel candidate?

I signed up for the study. I like to participate in studies at the local college and I track my sleep and stuff daily on my watch. Kind of excited about this. I'll report back with my data if I get picked

Update: dang

Thank you for your interest in the Human Flatus Atlas and for your willingness to participate in our study.

Due to overwhelming demand, we are currently experiencing a temporary pause in onboarding new participants. At this time, we kindly ask that you save the personalized consent form link you received, as it will be required to continue your participation once we are ready to bring you on board.

We will send a notification once we have expanded capacity to accommodate all participants.

We are thrilled by the incredible response to this study and truly appreciate your patience and enthusiasm. We look forward to your participation.

Sincerely, The Human Flatus Atlas Research Team

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xrdtoday at 4:58 PM

I do think this has a chance of breaking records for clinical trial participation rates.

nulloremptytoday at 4:27 PM

Life is stranger than fiction.

euroderftoday at 5:55 PM

These measurements will not be complete if they do not measure the other two states of matter, liquid and solid. I don't know about you, but they've been known to appear.

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portlytoday at 4:34 PM

I need a smell amplifier

nyteskytoday at 5:09 PM

I know this is worthwhile, especially with the rise in colorectal cancer in younger adults, perhaps this will help in early detection.

But I did take a double take and go “Is it April already?”

fortranfiendtoday at 5:44 PM

Some things should be left unknown.

nulloremptytoday at 4:29 PM

And I just invented a fart-tube to route gasses away from sensors - already assuming farts will be taxed.

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bdangubictoday at 5:36 PM

Meta should buy this and make people in 3rd world countries watch this in real time

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throwup238today at 5:39 PM

This reminds me of one of the pinnacles of Canadian culture, Kenny vs Spenny. In one episode titled “Who Can Blow the Biggest Farts?” they used a device that measures flatulence to judge who blew the biggest fart.

I assume with this underwear we all can participate in gamified flatulence with a global leader board.

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nacozarinatoday at 6:32 PM

if they are electrified, they can be hacked to be an ignition source

MarkusWandeltoday at 5:30 PM

That sounds like a classig igNobel Prize candidate!

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paulbjensentoday at 4:25 PM

…and the Danes will tax it, just like they tax cow farts.

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toenailtoday at 4:14 PM

I wonder what comes after that, a tax for methane emissions?

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aanettoday at 6:55 PM

Hand ‘em the IgNoble prize already

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oulipo2today at 6:21 PM

Can we bind it so when I fart it closes the tab?

vivzkestreltoday at 5:17 PM

- imagine if you had superpowers to do anything

- i would replace everyone s underwear secretly with a bass base to emit a loud noise everytime someone farted

- imagine how many loud bops you would hear at the airport every second

kotaKattoday at 4:20 PM

Tired: Kohler's poop camera.

Sleepy: Withings' piss sensor.

Wired: Smart fart panties.

k4rnaj1ktoday at 4:52 PM

This can potenitally help people actually tell if their microbiome is okay. Seems like an actually useful study and will be very helpful for doctors.

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