Inventor: Sarah Cottee, IMMI Watch
The IMMI Watch is a low-cost wearable health-tracker, designed to improve reproductive health by
allowing teenagers and women of all ages track their menstrual cycles.
Data is stored locally, ensuring privacy and accessibility regardless of the technological environment. Importantly the device is standalone, meaning that it works without a smartphone. This is especially important in West Africa where there is lower smartphone uptake.
First trials of the watch in Burkina Faso and with teenagers in Moldova have given positive results and feedback, which is being incorporated into the next version of the design. Anecdotal evidence from the Moldova pilot study showed that girls who used IMMI watch attended more of the youth education sessions offered by their health clinic, and were more engaged because they had more questions. This leads to the assumption that girls who are tracking their cycle are more likely to engage with the health system and from a younger age – if this can be evidenced then this will demonstrate tangible benefits of investing in female health and menstruation.
There are two questions for the i-Team – firstly to look at ways to continue to build on the success of IMMI watch in its current form including potential sources of funding and key geographic areas to target, and secondly to investigate the possibility of using the watch as a health ID (by adding in an ID chip). By identifying and interviewing relevant sector experts in international organisations and within countries, the i-Team will help support the next steps in IMMI Watch’s development.