The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is improved health and economic impact as a result of a 3D printing technology, combined with fluid dynamic modeling, that has the potential to prolong breastfeeding. An individualized, 3D printed silicone bottle nipple, that closely mimics a mother's breast, creates continuity between bottle and breast, reducing the primary barrier to breastfeeding, nipple confusion. Prolonged breastfeeding and skin to skin contact enables breast milk to continually act in establishing immunity, enabling protective neurological development, and genetic optimization through microbiome establishment. The core technology of this project has a commercialization potential to solve issues mothers face every day and the global societal impact of the innovation could be substantial. It is projected that increasing rates of breastfeeding could save the lives of more than 820,000 children under age five, annually, prevent 20,000 breast cancer deaths, while saving $300 billion annually in health care costs worldwide.
This I-Corps project aims to evaluate the commercialization potential of a baby bottle nipple concept which replicates a mother's nipple in terms of shape and texture while matching the flow rate to that of the maternal flow rate. One of the intellectual merits of the innovation is its individualized 3D printed silicone bottle nipple which addresses nipple confusion related to shape based on a 3D survey of a mother's nipples. The 3D scanning technology allows mothers to use an application to scan their breasts to be able to select which 3D printed mold fits their breasts the best, leading to seamless bottle to breast continuity. The innovation also appropriately addresses nipple confusion related to flow rate in its design. The team conducted fluid dynamics analyses to determine the flow rate through the printed nipple that matches the flow rate from a small data set from preterm mothers. The core technology has the potential to allow better continuity between the breast and bottle, help enable mothers to overcome the barriers they face so they can continue breastfeeding for the recommended minimum of 2 years.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
