Background: The Silent Crisis of Neonatal Hypothermia
The first hours and days of a newborn's life are incredibly delicate. Yet, for millions of infants worldwide, particularly those born in low-resource settings, a silent threat is present: hypothermia. This dangerous drop in body temperature, defined as below 36.5°C, is not just a discomfort; it's a leading contributor to infant mortality. Startlingly, up to 85% of newborns in hospitals within these resource-scarce environments experience this condition, and the consequences extend beyond the immediate risk, significantly increasing the likelihood of contracting other life-threatening conditions such as influenza, tetanus, and neonatal asphyxia. This underscores the urgent need for effective and accessible solutions to combat neonatal hypothermia and reduce preventable infant deaths.
The widespread prevalence of hypothermia in these regions is rooted in significant challenges with existing infant warming technologies. Firstly, the high cost of traditional electric incubators, ranging from $1,500 to a staggering $50,000, places them far beyond the reach of many hospitals that desperately need them, especially in low-resource settings. This financial barrier means that countless newborns lack the essential warmth required for survival. Secondly, these sophisticated devices often struggle to function reliably using the inconsistent and often unreliable power supplies common in resource-limited areas. Furthermore, even when electricity is available, it can be prohibitively expensive for already strained healthcare budgets. Finally, traditional electric incubators are often prone to breakdowns in these environments, as access to specialized replacement parts is limited, trained technicians are scarce, and the cost of repairs can be extremely high, leaving these vital pieces of equipment unusable.
At a hospital our team visited in Kumasi, Ghana, the limited resources and number of incubators led to placing more than one baby in an incubator. This exacerbates the risk of cross-infections, which can be fatal
The Initiative: Engineering Accessible Warmth
The Initiative's primary focus is on reducing neonatal mortality in regions with underdeveloped healthcare systems, with a focus on the Kumasi region in Ghana. Preterm and low-birthweight infants in these communities face alarmingly high mortality rates, with hypothermia being a leading and preventable cause. Our project directly addresses this critical need by providing affordable, sustainable, and culturally adaptable thermoregulation solutions designed to improve survival rates. We are developing an affordable and non-electric neonatal bassinet incubator, offering a crucial alternative to the expensive, complex, and fragile electric incubators currently dominating the market. At the heart of our bassinet is a non-electric heating source, made possible through a vital collaboration with Warmilu LLC. Their FDA-approved InstaWarmer chemical warming pad provides consistent warmth to infants and can be easily reset and reused up to 100 times simply by boiling water or using a microwave, significantly reducing the reliance on consistent electricity access.
Our bassinet incubator prioritizes accessibility and ease of use for healthcare providers and caregivers. The fully transparent design, coupled with strategically placed port holes on the front and sides, ensures that neonates are easily visible and accessible for monitoring and care. To maintain a safe and healthy environment for the vulnerable infants, air filter meshes cover all ventilation holes, effectively preventing harmful particles from entering while ensuring adequate air quality. Recognizing the logistical challenges of shipping and packaging the bassinet, the incubator is designed to be collapsible and flat-packed, allowing for easy transportation and assembly. Complementing the bassinet system is a specially designed kangaroo carrier, which facilitates skin-to-skin contact, a proven and powerful method for passive infant warming, further enhancing neonatal outcomes. By strategically combining autonomous thermal regulation with caregiver-driven solutions, our approach ensures both immediate and long-term accessibility for families in resource-limited settings.
Our work is strengthened by key collaborations with Warmilu and NeoNest Global, a 501c3 non-profit organization. We also maintain close relationships with healthcare providers on the ground, including Dr. Bening and the Suntreso Government Hospital in Ghana, where we conducted invaluable field testing to assess the product's feasibility and cultural appropriateness. Our development process involves low- and high-fidelity prototyping, rigorous testing, and planned clinical trials to refine our design for effective real-world application. Beyond the crucial engineering aspects, our dedicated business team actively pursues grant funding, corporate sponsorships, and pitch competition opportunities to ensure the long-term sustainability of our project. As the prototyping arm of NeoNest Global, we are also deeply engaged with community stakeholders and other non-profits to ensure our solutions are truly aligned with local needs and cultural contexts.
Results: Milestones in Innovation and Feedback
A significant milestone for our team was our recent trip to the Kumasi region in Ghana. This invaluable experience allowed us to directly engage with mothers and healthcare providers, gathering crucial feedback on our prototype's functionality and its alignment with the cultural and technological landscape of the region. For instance, our version 2 bassinet prototype prominently features the non-electric chemical heating mattress in partnership with Warmilu LLC, a direct response to the community's need for a reliable warming solution in areas with unreliable power. The V2 prototype was transported to Ghana to gain real-time feedback on its design, and we incorporated these insights into the V3 iteration, focusing on enhancing the incubator's durability and optimizing its sizing. Building on this momentum, we also had the opportunity to present our V3 prototype in Honduras through our partnership with NeoNest, receiving further crucial feedback.
During our interactions in both Ghana and Honduras, we received insightful feedback from two key groups: hospital personnel (doctors and nurses) and EMT/transport personnel. The doctors and nurses in Kumasi emphasized several critical safety features to prevent accidental injuries. The EMT personnel, on the other hand, focused on the practicalities of transporting the incubator, highlighting the need for easier carrying options and a safer, more secure way to restrain the baby during potentially bumpy ambulance rides.
Furthermore, our latest iteration of the Kangaroo Carrier has been significantly informed by the valuable feedback received from mothers and doctors in Kumasi. These improvements include prioritizing comfort and support to the wearer, incorporating culturally relevant fabrics to increase community acceptance, and carefully considering the potential for incisional pain following C-sections in the design to maximize maternal comfort.
Members of the Initiative presenting our V2 bassinet prototype to nurses and doctors in Kumasi, Ghana
Next Steps: Refining and Preparing for Impact
The development of our neonatal bassinet incubator is an ongoing process of refinement and innovation. The upcoming V4 iteration of the bassinet will incorporate several key enhancements to increase its efficiency. Looking ahead, each of our dedicated teams has specific next steps to ensure continued progress:
- Kangaroo Carrier Team: The immediate focus is to quantify the carrier's effectiveness in maintaining infant warmth. Simultaneously, the team will continue to iterate on the carrier's prototype based on the valuable feedback received from community partners, ensuring optimal comfort, safety, and cultural appropriateness.
- Bassinet Team: The priority is to finalize the assembly of the latest prototype and conduct testing to ensure adequate airflow and a safe environment for the neonate.
- Electrical Team: This team is focused on ensuring consistent and safe warmth for the infant. This will involve exploring various heating technologies and control mechanisms.
- Business Team: The business team is actively redesigning our social media platforms and continuously updating our website to enhance our online presence, raise awareness about our mission, and facilitate communication with potential supporters and partners.
The members of The Initiative at M-HEAL's External Design Review
Support Received During Library Consultation(s): A Foundation for Progress
The resources and expertise provided during our library consultations have been instrumental in advancing The Initiative. We are particularly grateful for the invaluable support we received from Ms. Gurpreet Rana. Her guidance on citation formats has been crucial in strengthening our grant applications, increasing our chances of securing the funding necessary to bring our project to fruition. Furthermore, her assistance was invaluable in preparing our entry for the Center for Global Health Equity pitch competition, helping us to effectively communicate the significance and potential impact of our work.
Ms. Rana also played a key role in streamlining our research process by helping us set up and effectively utilize Zotero, enabling us to efficiently organize and stay up-to-date with the vast amount of papers pertaining to neonatal hypothermia and bassinet development, ensuring our design decisions are evidence-based. Finally, Ms. Rana provided us with critical links to the U.S. Patent Office and relevant device standards, as well as access to U-M Library Online Research Resources for user requirements and benchmarking articles. These resources have been essential in guiding our design process and ensuring our innovation aligns with industry best practices and regulatory requirements. The support we received from the library has provided a strong foundation for our continued progress, empowering us to pursue our mission with greater knowledge and efficiency.