TechBme

Solomon C. Nwaneri, PhD, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Lagos. Newborns often suffer from a condition known as hypothermia. It is a condition in which the newborn loses a lot of heat and unable to control its temperature. Under normal conditions, the body temperature of the newborn should not be lower than 36.5 degrees centigrade. But when hypothermia occurs, the body temperature becomes lower.  Hypothermia affects preterm newborns, those with low birth weight. as well as those undergoing some procedures. Such newborns need a device  to keep them warm and prevent heat loss by radiation.  This is the main purpose of a radiant warmer. How does a radiant warmer keep a newborn warm you may ask? This is possible because the radiant warmer consists of an overhead heating element that produces the required heat to keep the baby warm and there is a heating probe as well. The baby is placed on a tray directly under the heating element at a given distance. You may also ask

S.C. Nwaneri, PhD, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Lagos. Neonatal incubators are designed to provide a controlled environment for preterm infants[1]. Preterm is a baby born before 37 weeks of pregnancy[2]. Preterm babies often suffer from hypothermia, a condition in which their body is unable to regulate temperature. The infant incubator ensures that the temperature, humidity and ventilation are suitable to support their lives in the first few weeks of life until they are capable of living without an incubator.     The infant incubator creates an environment that is similar to the mother's womb that makes it possible for the preterm baby to survive outside the mother's womb.  Important components in a typical incubator are: a heating element, temperature and humidity sensors, microcontrollers and a mattress. Some incubators also include a phototherapy device attached to them and placed at specific distance above the baby.  All neonat