Revolutionary BabyBloom incubator for premature babies

Worldwide one in ten babies is born prematurely and for medical reasons they have to be cared for in incubators, which aim is to create and ensure optimally controlled conditions for the development of the baby. Up-to-now incubators' design didn't transcend its fundamental function; its appearance, easiness and comfort in use, and easy access for parents and hospital stuff were unconsidered and neglected. Untill the BabyBloom has been created.

 

The BabyBloom incubator for babies has been designed using the input of many doctors, nurses, technical staff and parents of incubator children by Cum Laude Industrial Design Engineering graduate Heleen Willemsen at the Technical University of Delft in the Netherlands. Together with her brother-in-law Jeroen van den Hout, she has founded BabyBloom Healthcare BV to produce and develop the BabyBloom incubators.

 

“We believe that incubator babies worldwide deserve a warm and safe place in which they can grow. A place that is truly friendly and comfortable for the child, parents and medical staff. The starting point to accomplish this mission is the heart of neonatology, the nursing incubator.”

 

The BabyBloom use an inspiring and innovative approach to reinterpret the design of incubators. Still, the goal to convey the highest possible sense of protection played a central role in the design process. The BabyBloom protects the baby under an innovative integrated shield that reduces noise and light; a very silently working climate system also keeps the environment around the baby quiet. The three side panels and the two smaller observation windows in the hood can be opened or closed independently, allowing balance between protection and observation of the child’s condition.

However, the BabyBloom infant incubator offers much more than that:

• the look that is not overwhelming and discomforting to the parents.  Its friendly design, colours and patterns eases parents, thereby having an indirect positive effect on their child. The noise and light protective hood is hygienic and can be delivered in different colours and patterns, and can even be designed to fit a specific neonatology ward.
• the possibility to place the incubator over a hospital bed where the mother can be in very close contact with her child.
• the extensive height adjustment; it can be positioned much higher and lower than other incubators. It also offers much legroom underneath. It is the first incubator where any person, regardless their statue, can work sitting or standing in an ideal ergonomic position.
• advanced accessibility. The patient can be reached from three sides. The sides can be opened in two parts, for regular or extensive access to the patient. The complete light and noise protective hood can be removed with a single press of a button.
• an extra-large viewing plane and rubberless doors, enabling clear observation of the child by the staff and eye contact between parents and child.
• a built-in camera to observe the child on a display on a remote location, like the nurses’ desk, a computer at home or even on a mobile phone.
• user friendly interface that’s very intuitive in use. Designed to simplify user interaction, maximize safety and to be self-teaching and easy to remember. Can be adapted to any language.

Babies who have been born too early no longer have to be protected and shielded by a purely technical capsule of survival. Instead, in the BabyBloom, they find themselves in an environment that opens and closes almost like a blossom. With its design it has become possible for the first time to enhance the physical and emotional contact between premature babies and their parents. Well done!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo credits to BabyBloom