ROBUST NEST – Adapted newborn incu­bator for Sub-Saharan Africa
Winner | Young Professionals | 2021

ROBUST NEST – Adapted newborn incu­bator for Sub-Saharan Africa

According to the children’s relief organization UNICEF, about 1.1 million premature babies die each year in sub-Saharan Africa from hypothermia due to a not yet fully developed metabolism. Incubators that could prevent this hardly exist there. This is mainly due to the fact that the existing devices for industrialised countries are not compatible with the African local conditions. Fatal factors are, on the one hand, the dependence on a continuously secured power supply and, on the other hand, the size and weight of the devices, which are not suitable for transport to remote locations. Robust Nest aims to solve these problems precisely. The starting point and prerequisite for the development of this incubator was the invention of a lithium-free thermal battery at EPFL, which provides thermal energy for four hours in the event of an interrupted power supply. Robust Nest is a compact and comparatively lightweight device that is easy to transport thanks to removable and stackable elements and is characterized by ease of use due to pictogram based user-interface. The newborn is placed in a temperature-controlled environment under a polycarbonate bonnet. The metal railing used to open and close the hood also serves as a transport handle. Robust Nest is currently being further developed to production readiness.

Comments of the nominators

A prime example of the contribution design can make to turning a technical innovation into a high-quality and socially relevant product. The work convinces with a thoughtful, functional design and an exemplary clear communication.

Designer:

Fabien Roy / ECAL

www.fabienroy.com
www.ecal.ch

Team engi­neering & project initiator:

Essen­tial­Tech Centre, EPFL
Chris­tine Gaulis, Project Manager, Global Neonat

www.essentialtech.center

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