Theresa Rosato

Post-baccalaureate student, Boston University

During my undergraduate study at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, my peers and I created a wearable device to prevent leaks in ostomy bags — the Stomonitor. As someone with an ileostomy myself, I personally understand how impactful our device is.

Before the Stomonitor, the only way to sense fullness in an ostomy bag was to check visually. That's a real challenge during sleep and for caretakers. Our device discreetly notifies wearers when fullness is reached, preventing leaks and giving ostomy patients a greater quality of life.