Created as a project during my Master’s studies at Imperial College London, I knew I couldn’t let FlowSense just be another university project – I knew the impact that it would have and decided to follow it as a venture.

These are my learnings from start to prototype throughout the development of FlowSense.

Know your ‘why’

Before you even begin sketching out your idea, take a moment to ask yourself, "Why am I doing this?" In the early stages, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by inspiration. Before diving into the details, it’s important to take a moment to break down what truly matters about your idea. Ask yourself what problem you are solving and who you are solving it for, but most importantly, why your setting out to find a solution in the first place. 

The ‘why’ for FlowSense came out of an already pre-existing interest in women’s health – particularly menstrual health. I had previously designed DAILYA, underwear with embedded heating to target menstrual cramps, which I put on hold to focus on FlowSense.

FlowSense began from learning about the struggles many visually impaired women face when managing their menstrual health. I knew this unmet need had to be addressed, and asking myself, ‘why not?’ I embarked on a journey of developing a solution for menstrual hygiene for those with visual impairments. 

Find your focus

In a world full of problems to solve, it’s tempting to try to tackle everything at once. But one of the most valuable lessons I learned is to narrow your focus. Instead of solving ten problems halfway, focus on solving one problem well.

For FlowSense, this meant zeroing in on one specific issue: the challenge of distinguishing menstrual blood from other bodily discharges. While there are many challenges visually impaired women face when managing their periods, solving this issue has the potential to make an immediate and tangible difference in their lives. This focus guided every step of my process, ensuring that my energy wasn’t scattered across too many directions.

Identify your idea

Once you’ve found your focus, the next step is turning the problem into an actionable idea. For me, this involved brainstorming solutions that could make menstrual blood detection simple, accessible, and non-invasive for visually impaired women. From research, I landed upon using pH as a detecting method, turning to finding methods to make this identifiable outside of traditional pH testing strips.

FlowSense’s early design was based on the fact that menstrual blood has a different pH compared to other vaginal discharges. Using this insight, I wanted to create a modified sanitary pad that would be able to respond to the different pH levels of vaginal fluids, and allows the visually impaired woman to detect periods for themselves through senses other than sight.

Bringing it to life

Turning an idea into reality is where the true challenges lie. This phase requires bridging the gap between concept and execution through innovation, experimentation, and relentless problem-solving. For FlowSense, this meant going beyond theoretical designs and creating something functional, sustainable, and accessible – a biodegradable polymer tactile pad.

Research for this started in December 2022, with one of the key breakthroughs came from using the biodegradable polymer chitosan. Chitosan is derived from chitin, a natural substance found in the shells of crustaceans, and has remarkable properties that make it perfect for FlowSense. Not only is it biocompatible and environmentally friendly, but it also reacts to changes in pH – as chitosan swell in acidic vaginal discharge fluid and shrinks in alkaline period blood – a critical aspect of menstrual blood detection.

Our early prototypes used chitosan in pH-sensitive strips integrated into sanitary pads. When exposed to menstrual blood, the polymer would react and change its structure, providing a tactile signal that users could detect. This innovation offered a discreet and reliable way for visually impaired women to identify menstrual onset without visual cues.

This stage underscored the importance of selecting the right materials and embracing the iterative nature of product development. Chitosan wasn’t just a functional material – it became the cornerstone of bringing FlowSense to life.

Get users onboard

No matter how brilliant your idea may seem, it’s the users who ultimately determine its success. Getting feedback from your target audience early and often is essential to creating something that truly meets their needs.

For FlowSense, I partnered with the Royal National Institute of Blind People to connect with visually impaired women who could test our prototypes. Their insights were invaluable. They told us what worked, what didn’t, and what could be improved.

One of the most important insights came from the tactile element of the pad. While the idea of using a tactile signal for menstrual blood detection seemed straightforward during development, users raised concerns about hygiene and ease of use.

Handling the pad to detect the change wasn’t intuitive for some and felt unhygienic, particularly in situations where access to soap and water was limited. This highlighted the importance of designing solutions that not only work but also respect the practical realities of users’ daily lives.

Engaging with users also deepened my understanding of the problem we were trying to solve. It wasn’t just about detecting menstrual blood - it was about providing a tool that seamlessly fit into their lives, respected their privacy, and boosted their confidence.

Hold onto your first inspiration

Every journey from idea to product comes with setbacks, but holding onto your original inspirations keeps you grounded. Often, even if the first iteration of the idea doesn’t work out, the failures of that first iteration and the original focus will help build an even better product further down the line.

For FlowSense, the original tactile pad design didn’t work as intended, but the idea of using pH is still the focus while I work on the new working prototype, which I shifted focus onto in May 2023. It was the tactile element that users did not like, so we’ve now shifted to seeing how pH detection can be used for audio or vibration cues instead. 

I wanted to create a product that goes with the flow of user’s routines and preferences rather than forcing an idea that worked on paper but was not practical. By combining the original pH testing pad idea with technology, I’m now working on a device that not only expands on the technology out there for menstrual health, but also widens the support FlowSense can offer by having a cycle tracking app connected to the device.

Through prototyping, FlowSense has evolved into a holistic solution for menstrual health, combining hygiene, tracking, and vaginal health diagnostics – a true testament to how technology can empower women’s wellbeing.

Future applications, like expanding vaginal pH analysis to all women for broader diagnostics, highlight its potential to revolutionise care. None of this would have been possible without listening to the women we designed for, proving the power of creating a device for women, by women.

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