IncuVive: A Modular Incubation System for the Developing World

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

BME Senior Design 2011-2012May 1st, 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 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 or

burning• Requires no humidification• Controlled by a feedback algorithm with fail-safes• Different design configurations• Can have 1+ mat per system

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

Current prototype

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

Final Prototype

Pump

Heater

Outlet

InletMat Control

Panel

Reservoir

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

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

Effectiveness of Our System

+/- std err

Effectiveness of Our System

+/- std err

Incubator– Average of 85 min to raise

temperature by 1 C

Our device– With fold over average of

50 min per 1 C– Without fold-over average

of 90 min per 1 C

[Testing on Inubator done at CUMC, 4/26/2012, on Giraffe OHMEDA Medical Incubator]

Economic Feasibility

Final Prototype cost : $98.01 Commercial cost of system: $50

Prototype CostComponent Cost

1000W Water heating element

$11.00

Tubing & Mat $14.36Bucket & Pump $33.32

Electronics & Misc. $39.33

Total Cost: $98.01

• Low power consumption– 2.3 kWh/day

• Equivalent using a 100 W light bulb for 24 hours

• Low water requirement– 1 L to fill mat– $0.01 for 10L

• Repair Cost: – $0.03-$11– Water heater- most expensive

component

Future Work• Optimize design and minimize cost and power

consumption • 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.

AcknowledgementsInstructors• 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