The broader impact/commercial potential for this I-Corps project is to provide a safe sleeping environment for premature infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Recent scientific studies have shown that a supportive light environment in the NICU has a positive impact on the neurocognitive, optical, overall physical growth and development of a premature infant. Moreover, optimal light conditions in this space were directly linked with infants decreased length of stay in the NICU. Currently, some NICUs use blankets to prevent infants from being exposed to excessive bright lights. However, the use of blankets comes with limitations (such as accumulating bacteria and blocking the view of the infant) that pose safety and sanitary risks to the infant. This device may help to provide a standard method of controlling the light environment in the NICU.
This I-Corps project is based on the development of a device to precisely control the amount of light premature infants are exposed to in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Through the use of electrical films, the device is able to mimic womb-like light conditions for premature infants. Infants are exposed to cyclical lighting in the womb, and the proposed device would offer cyclical lighting controlled automatically or manually by the care provider. The proposed device would also collect data from the infant’s vitals monitor and provide appropriate warnings, as well as informing a predictive analytics system to improve the infant’s outcomes.
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.
