Mechanical design and prototyping of a neonatal incubator for areas with intermittent electrical grid power

Abstract

Every year, 1.1 million infants die from complications related to preterm birth. An estimated 80% of these deaths could be prevented through the use of non-intensive methods, including thermal regulation. Neonatal incubators are common life-preserving devices for preterm infants in developed countries, but are under-utilized in much of the developing world due to designs intended for large hospital settings their need for constant electrical grid power and. A design is here proposed for a portable off-grid neonatal incubator for use in those areas. The design is honed through human-centered design practices and the use of SolidWorks representations. Early-stage prototypes are constructed from foam and ABS. Prototyping in ABS required overcoming difficulties presented by the size constraints imposed by the thermoforming machines available in the Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity.