Pervasive technology in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: a prototype for newborns unobtrusive monitoring

Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2008:2008:1292-5. doi: 10.1109/IEMBS.2008.4649400.

Abstract

Pervasive computing research is introducing new perspectives in a wide range of applications, including healthcare domain. In this study we explore the possibility to realize a prototype of a system for unobtrusive recording and monitoring of multiple biological parameters on premature newborns hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). It consists of three different units: a sensitized belt for Electrocardiogram (ECG) and chest dilatation monitoring, augmented with extrinsic transducers for temperature and respiratory activity measure, a device for signals pre-processing, sampling and transmission through Bluetooth(R) (BT) technology to a remote PC station and a software for data capture and post-processing. Preliminary results obtained by monitoring babies just discharged from the ward demonstrated the feasibility of the unobtrusive monitoring on this kind of subjects and open a new scenario for premature newborns monitoring and developmental cares practice in NICU.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Electrocardiography / instrumentation
  • Electrocardiography / methods
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infant, Premature
  • Intensive Care Units, Neonatal*
  • Monitoring, Physiologic / instrumentation*
  • Monitoring, Physiologic / methods
  • Neonatal Nursing / instrumentation
  • Neonatal Nursing / methods
  • Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted*
  • Software*