Georgia Tech engineers have created a soft, all‑in‑one wearable system designed to improve neonatal health monitoring in low‑resource settings. The device combines a chest‑mounted patch with a forehead‑mounted pulse oximeter, transmitting real‑time data on heart rate, respiration, temperature, electrocardiograms, and blood oxygen saturation to a smartphone app. By automating vital sign tracking, the system reduces reliance on handwritten records and limited medical equipment, enabling faster detection of dangerous changes in newborns.
A pilot study at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, conducted with Ethiopian collaborators, showed that the wearable system provided superior oversight compared to current monitoring practices. Medical staff noted fewer interruptions to sleeping infants, while parents expressed strong support, with 84 percent saying they would use the device at home. The technology’s design relies on nanomembranes that make the patch soft, conformal, and safe for delicate neonatal skin, minimizing irritation while ensuring accurate readings.
Despite progress in reducing child mortality in Ethiopia over the past decade, newborn deaths remain stubbornly high. The Georgia Tech team believes their wearable system could help close this gap by providing continuous, reliable monitoring in neonatal intensive care units and eventually in homes.
Article from Georgia Tech: Advancing Neonatal Health Monitoring in Ethiopia
Abstract in npj Digital Medicine: Soft, all-in-one, nanomembrane wearable system for advancing neonatal health monitoring in Ethiopia
