IncuVive: A Modular Incubation System for the Developing World

Indrias Bekerie, Annabelle Chu Yan Fui, Leeanna Hyacinth, Min Ye Shen, Kiet Vo Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University

Rice University Beyond Traditional Borders Design CompetitionMarch 30, 2012

• 99% of neonatal deaths occur in developing countries• Hypothermia contributes up to 42% of the 4 million annual

infant deaths in the developing world• Millennium Development Goal #4: Reduce child mortality

– Reduce under-five mortality rate by 2/3– 38% of all under-five deaths occurs in the neonatal period

Motivation: Combat Infant Hypothermia

[Millennium Project, 2006][World Health Organization, 2001]

[UNICEF, 2007]

• Low-resource areas lack of personnel and resources (e.g. Mulago Hospital in Kampala, Uganda)– 60% of babies born premature– 2 nurses for 60 babies – 2 incubators (out of 20) are working

There is a need for an infant-warming system that can both work on its own and repurpose nonfunctioning incubators.

Need: Cheap and Effective Solution to Warm Infant

Current Solutions Used in the NICU

Incubator

Heat pad

Kangaroo care

[World Health Organization, 2001]

Functional Requirements and Constraints

Functional Requirements• Increase infant temperature to normal range of 36.5-37.5 °C• Maintain infant temperature for at least 24 hours

Constraints• Low cost• Low power• Easy to maintain and repair• High controllability• Easy to use• Safe

Practical Specifications• Designed specifically for low-resource settings• Components can be found locally• Can function as a stand-alone incubator• Can repurpose non-functioning incubators

Product Features• Warm water circulation system to prevent overheating,

burning, and requires no humidification• Controlled by a feedback algorithm with fail-safes• Different design configurations• Potential of having 1+ mat per system

Our Solution: Warm Water Circulation MatOur Solution: Warm Water Circulation Mat

Current prototype

Pump

Heater

OutletInlet

Reservoir

Power

Mat Ready LED

Heater LED

Infant Over-heating LED

Mat °C

Infant °C

Control Panel

Mat

• Made from readily available materials• Can be switched for cheaper components found locally

Total cost of system:$106.74

Current Prototype

Feedback algorithm and fail-safes

Arduino

Comparator

Relay Manual switch

HeaterThermistors

Feedback Thermistor

• Tfeedback<Tfeedback target

• T<Tcutoff

• T>0 °C• Tmat<Tmat cutoff

• Tinfant<Toverheating

Feedback Algorithm and Fail-Safes

Able to raise and maintain the temperature of the biofluid from hypothermic to normal temperature range.

Effectiveness of Our System

+/- std err

Able to raise and maintain the temperature of the biofluid from hypothermic to normal temperature range.

Effectiveness of Our System

Biofluid on Mat

+/- std err+/- std err

• Effectively raises the temperature of the biofluid• Maintains the biofluid within the normal range

(36.5-37.5 °C) for the tested time frame• Low power consumption– 2.3 kWh/day

• Equivalent using a 100 W light bulb for 24 hours

• Low water requirement– 500 mL to fill mat

IncuVive Modular Incubation SystemIncuVive: Modular Incubation System

Future Work

• Optimize design and minimize cost• Fold-over component– Heat infant from both sides

• Heating unit versatility – Multiple mats/unit

• Backup power• Instruction manual

Future Work

Our modular incubation system is able to work on its own or repurpose non-functional incubators to combat infant

hypothermia in the developing world.

AcknowledgementsRice University for giving us the opportunity to present.

Instructors• Aaron Kyle, Ph.D. , Biomedical Engineering Dept., Columbia University• Elizabeth Hillman, Ph.D. , Biomedical Engineering Dept., Columbia University• Keith Yeager• Sarah De Leo (TA)• David Jangraw (TA)Advisers and Consultants• Lance Kam, Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering Dept., Columbia University• Margaret Nakakeeto-Kijjambu, MD, Mulago Hospital• Richard Polin, MD, CUMC Pediatrics• Rakesh Sahni, MD, CUMC Pediatrics• Helen Towers, MD, CUMC Pediatrics• Yvonne Vaucher, MD, UCSD• David Vallancourt, Ph.D., Electrical Engineering Dept., Columbia University