Twenty million babies are born prematurely every year; the majority in resource-limited settings where access to advanced medicine is difficult. Many premature babies have difficulty regulating their own body temperature so hypothermia a serious problem. Incubators used in advanced healthcare nations, however, are too expensive to be applicable to resource-limited settings.

Detailed description of the solution

The Embrace Infant Warmer works by combining a hypoallergenic sleeping bag with a compartment that holds a pouch of wax. The pouch of wax is first heated to 37 degrees Celsius and then inserted into the sleeping bag with the baby. The bag will stay between 36 and 37 degrees Celsius for up to 4 hours. The warming bag is made of a phase-change material that prevents the baby from getting too warm or too cold.

Designed by

• Designed by: a non-profit organization called Embrace. It originated from a course at Stanford University. Embrace's website found here.
• Manufacturing: San Francisco, California, USA

When and where it was tested/implemented

The device was launched in India in 2010 and is currently in its clinical trial phase in India.

Funding Source

There is a combination of funding from university, private and NGO sources. Embrace, as a non-profit organization, is also partnering with GE Health.

References