Gentoo : A flat foldable incubator for resource constrained environments
What is a Preemie baby?
Premature babies, or preemies, are infants born before 37 weeks of gestation. In developing countries, the prevalence of preterm births is increasing due to several factors. High rates of adolescent pregnancies, inadequate prenatal care, poor maternal nutrition, and infections contribute significantly to this rise. Additionally, socioeconomic challenges, such as limited access to healthcare facilities and education, exacerbate the situation. Long-term effects of prematurity can include chronic health issues such as respiratory problems, developmental delays, and vision and hearing impairments.
Why do Preemies need NICUs?
Preemies, require the specialized care of Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) because they are born before their bodies and organ systems are fully developed. This underdevelopment can lead to a range of health issues, such as respiratory distress, feeding difficulties, and susceptibility to infections. NICUs are equipped with advanced medical technology and staffed by healthcare professionals trained to address these complex needs. They provide vital support, including mechanical ventilation, intravenous nutrition, and close monitoring, ensuring that preemies receive the necessary care to grow and develop outside the womb. There are four levels of NICUs:
-
Level I NICUs:
-
Offer basic newborn care for healthy, full-term infants.
-
Stabilize and provide short-term care for late preterm babies.
-
-
Level II NICUs:
-
Provide intermediate care for infants born at or after 32 weeks gestation.
-
Care for moderately ill infants requiring more extensive monitoring and medical interventions.
-
-
Level III NICUs:
-
Equipped to care for very low birth weight infants (less than 32 weeks gestation).
-
Offer advanced respiratory support and specialized treatments for serious illnesses.
-
-
Level IV NICUs:
-
Provide the highest level of care, including surgical interventions.
-
Treat the most complex and critically ill newborns.
-
Often affiliated with major medical centers.
-
Most preemies require either a Level III or Level II NICUs. In emerging economies, there is a lack of Level III NICUs and the ones which are at Level II generally have limited number of warmers or infant incubators.
To account for the lack of incubators, clinicians are forced to take drastic steps to provide the care the preemie needs. Preemies are wrapped in cling film and kept under warmers to keep the baby's temperature stable.
What if a regular inexpensive bed or bassinet could be turned into an Incubator?
I designed a flat foldable incubator which can be easily deployed and manufactured. The goal was that it could easily be folded into shape, connected to all the necessary hardware and then placed over the baby to provide them with the warm, humid environment they would need. All the prototypes were built using a combination of a Zund reciprocating knife and 3D printing
Prototype 1:
Used a Miura origami pattern which folds into a dome
This Prototype was easy to build and cut and its pattern was generated using a python script. However it had several disadvantages:
-
Clinicians found this device hard to clean
-
Parents found the design to be intimidating
-
Airflow was not uniform
Prototype 2:
Origami pattern using curved geometry
This prototype took advantage of the added strength of curved folds. It had improved airflow and also had better responses from clinicians and parents.
The control system used a raspberry pi and a 7" touch screen. The application was developed using Flutter. For the backend controls for the sensors (humidity and temperature), the heating element (a brushless motor fan coupled with a PTC heater) and the humidifier using a python script controlling the GPIO pins on the raspberry pi.
Final Product
