A Handy Preterm Infant Incubator for Providing Intensive Care: Simulation, 3D Printed Prototype, and Evaluation

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Neonatal Care
• 3D Printing Technology

Background:

• Preterm birth rates are projected to rise, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
• Existing preterm infant intensive care methods are often costly, inadequate, or lack essential maternal-infant bonding components.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an innovative, cost-effective 3D-printed Handy incubator for preterm infants.
• To provide essential intensive care, reduce mortality rates, and maintain the maternal-preterm bond.
• To offer a viable solution for low-income countries facing increasing preterm birth rates.

Main Methods:

• Utilized biomedical features, electronics, and biocompatible materials for design.
• Simulated the incubator design, 3D printed a prototype, and conducted performance evaluations.
• Compared the Handy incubator's performance against Kangaroo Mother Care and embrace warmer methods.

Main Results:

• Simulation confirmed optimal component fit for the Handy incubator.
• The 3D-printed prototype was successfully created and evaluated.
• The Handy incubator achieved an overall performance of 91.7% ± 1.6%, outperforming existing methods (Kangaroo Mother Care: 75% ± 1.4%, embrace warmer: 66.7% ± 1.5%).

Conclusions:

• The cost-effective Handy incubator significantly surpasses current intensive care methods for preterm infants.
• This 3D-printed solution offers a promising approach to improving neonatal outcomes and accessibility in resource-limited settings.
• Future iterations will incorporate additional specifications and advancements for enhanced functionality.