Any ideas (and/or recommended references) as to where/how to get started? What I'm aiming to create is a floor pad, the size of a prototype to be about four square feet, equipped with densely spaced, evenly distributed moisture-detection points. Obviously the use here of many moisture sensitive microchips would get too expensive. So I'm thinking more along the lines of a grid pattern of wires: wire anodes criss-crossing wire cathodes, each kept vertically separated by some non-compressible material possessing excellent water absorbtion characteristics; such that a low voltage current will flow between anode and cathode (to trigger an ultrasonic-alarm device) whenever "Kitten decides to do her thing" and the material thereby becomes wet... Now, I don't happen to know of any specific materials that would fit this bill. Nor do I have the specific technical experience or knowledge to guesstimate whether this idea is even plausible or not.
What I do know I have this problem with 'people and their pets' inside the house. I have poured over the internet searching for possible technical solutions to apply to this problem. Some I've purchased and tried (e.g. cat facial pheromone or Feliway®), but none have worked. I have researched electronic pet repellants and found a couple of such products that do have a proven track record. But these simply deter animals from entering or remaining in a certain area by emitting an ultrasonic noise (silent to humans) upon the detection of motion --any motion, by any pet, person, or thing, for any reason. Such a device would definitely scare the cat out of the house, but wouldn't meet with the cat's owner's approval since it is not selective for specific problem behavior, and she wants the cat living indoors. Thus I need to develop a customized (yet affordable) technical solution, such as would briefly emit an ultrasonic "noise" to startle the cat, but *only in response to wetting behavior* by the cat.
Therefore, helpful feedback/references/possible plans/schematics/suggestions appreciated?
TIA, Ken