Rapid advances in portable elecÂtronics are bringing hope for
couÂples that have fertility problems. For example, a compact
sensing system measures body temperature changes in fractions of
degrees over a month-long span to determine fertility levels,
using efficient power conservation techniques to let one sensor
last for a full monthly cycle. Societal changes such as older
marriage ages have brought fertility problems for as many as one
in six couples. In response, startup Cambridge TemperaÂture
Concepts has leveraged extensive research into fertility to
create its DuoFertility sensing system. It consists of a small
temperature-sensing module that is attached to the woman's body
and a handheld reader that includes lights which predict the
best dates for conception. This reader has a USB connection so
data can be downloaded to PCs and sent to the company for
further analysis by CTC's staff of specialists. The sensor
continuously measures body basal temperature to determine when a
woman is ovulating, offering