Smart Pessary for Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP): A Next-Generation Wearable Medical Device

Pelvic organ prolapse affects millions of women, yet the primary non-surgical treatment option, the vaginal pessary, remains a passive device that offers no information about vaginal health or device performance. This Phase I project will develop the Smart Pessary, a soft intravaginal device made of medical-grade silicone that contains miniaturized pH and temperature sensors, a low-power microcontroller, and wireless data transmission. The goal is to demonstrate the technical feasibility of continuous monitoring of the vaginal environment to detect early signs of infection or device-related complications. The objectives include fabricating a functional prototype, validating sensor accuracy and stability in simulated vaginal conditions, confirming data transmission and onboard signal processing, and assessing the device’s performance during extended laboratory use. This work will establish feasibility for a future pathway toward real-world deployment.