Weight gain is a primary indicator of progress in premature newborns. Healthcare providers may weigh these newborns up to four times a day, which becomes challenging when incubators lack built-in scales. Removing newborns from incubators for weighing exposes them to risks, including heat loss, thermal stress, fluctuations in vital signs, and increased exposure to microorganisms and nosocomial infections.
According to the WHO, around 15 million babies are born prematurely worldwide each year, representing more than 1 in 10 births. However, the survival rate for premature newborns can vary significantly, with up to an 80% difference between high and low-income countries. The socioeconomic context and available healthcare infrastructure in a region play a crucial role in determining the survival chances of premature babies.
Based on our research, we estimate that in Argentina, fewer than 20% of incubators are equipped with scales, while approximately 60% of in-use incubator models support this feature. To tackle this issue, we designed Systel Neo, a product to be manufactured by Systel, a company founded in Córdoba, Argentina, with both regional and global operations. This project was developed in collaboration with Belén Argüello and Matías Malvarez as part of our Industrial Design degree thesis at FAUD-UNC.
Systel Neo is compatible with the trays of Argentina's most commonly used incubator models. Alternatively, its remote control can be repositioned to function as a pediatric scale.
Health workers can connect multiple Systel Neo stations to a digital registry, enabling real-time monitoring of patients' weight changes, accessing records from each station, and setting up alerts for weight fluctuations.
Four magnets in the remote control and two in its anchor ensure a secure lock between them in both the incubator and pediatric use positions. To isolate the station's main body components from the humidity inside incubators, we included rubber rings on each of the four legs and around the body's perimeter, pressed between the upper and lower casings.
