How can wireless technology help premature babies?

After the birth of premature babies, doctors are extremelyIt is important to constantly monitor vital signs such as respiration, heart rate and oxygen content in the blood. To do this, they use 5-6 sensors that are connected to medical equipment with the help of wires. This electronics does its job well, however, the multitude of wires prevent babies from moving and prevent nurses and mothers from taking them freely. Scientists have found a solution to this problem.

Researchers at Northwestern UniversityChicago introduced technology that allows you to monitor the health of babies wirelessly. To do this, they propose to use only two sensors that are made of soft silicone, which does not cause allergic reactions. They are designed to read indicators of health and transfer to the unit, which is under the bed mattress.

One of the sensors is mounted on the child’s chest, andthe second wraps around the leg. Acting together, they monitor heart rate, oxygen level, body temperature, and other indicators that were previously recorded with wired sensors.

Differences in temperature between the foot and the chest are of great clinical importance for determining blood flow and cardiac function.

John Rogers, Head of Research

It is noteworthy that the new technology is capablealso measure blood pressure, which the old method could not do. The nurses had to use standard wrist cuffs, which could cause bruising. Testing new 70 newborns showed that wireless sensors do not cause any side effects.

The most remarkable thing is that the sensors are completelyinexpensive - about $ 10 apiece. In order to save, they can be sterilized and reused. Wireless sensors are expected to appear in US hospitals in the next 2–3 years.

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