The initiative, co-led by Ali Adibi and Ashkan Zandi, is developing sensor technology in menstrual products to detect heavy bleeding, addressing a condition often overlooked until it causes severe health consequences.
A die of a prototype smart sensor designed to detect heavy menstrual bleeding. The Georgia Tech team is developing this low-cost technology for menstrual products, enabling real-time health monitoring. Photo: Allison Carter, Georgia Tech
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A Georgia Tech research team has secured funding to begin development of a smart sensor system that can be embedded into traditional menstrual products to better monitor heavy bleeding.
Co-led by Professor Ali Adibi in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the project aims to create a low-cost, accessible tool that improves menstrual health outcomes around the world.
The work is part of The Missed Vital Sign program, a $50 million women’s health initiative from Wellcome Leap, a U.S.-based nonprofit focused on accelerating breakthroughs in human health. Georgia Tech is collaborating with researchers from Johns Hopkins University, Liverpool Women’s Hospital in the United Kingdom, Zagazig University Hospitals in Egypt, and Khalifa University in the United Arab Emirates.
“The impact of this technology could be life-changing for millions of women who experience heavy menstrual bleeding, a condition more common than asthma or diabetes,” said Ashkan Zandi, a research engineer in ECE and co-principal investigator on the project. “By making diagnosis more accessible, we hope to reduce the years many women wait before receiving care.”
The prototype sensor device shown in a menstrual pad. Photo: Allison Carter, Georgia Tech
A Global Health Gap
One in three women experience heavy menstrual bleeding, according to a 2021 multi-national survey from the European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care. Yet, many live with the condition for an average of five years before receiving a diagnosis or treatment, according to Wellcome Leap.
When left untreated, heavy menstrual bleeding can lead to serious health issues such as anemia, increased vulnerability to other illnesses, and long-term emotional and financial strain.
“We live in a world where doctors are not cheap,” Adibi said. “If this tool can help detect heavy menstrual bleeding early and affordably, it could have a profound impact worldwide.”
Turning Data Into Care
Adibi believes the first step in addressing this gap in care is to improve how the condition is monitored and diagnosed.
“The more data points collected over time, the better and quicker health professionals are able to intervene,” he said. “And with this technology, users will be able to gather these data points on their own, without needing to visit a doctor or do anything extra.”
The researchers compare the heavy menstrual bleeding sensing system to modern diabetes monitors, which allow users to track blood sugar levels continuously through a patch connected to a smartphone app. This kind of real-time, user-friendly monitoring has transformed how chronic conditions are managed.
Ali Adibi and Ashkan Zandi are leading the project as part of The Missed Vital Sign program, a $50 million women’s health initiative from Wellcome Leap, a U.S.-based nonprofit.
That promise is why the team’s work is gaining international attention.
They presented their prototype at Prototypes for Humanity in Dubai (Nov. 18-20, 2025), an event that brings together researchers, policymakers, and investors to explore solutions to global challenges. Selected as one of the top 100 projects from more than 3,500 submissions, the Georgia Tech team connected with partners who can help move the technology from lab to market.
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