Washington State University College of Engineering and Computer Science team (USA) Developed a bioelectronic pacifier that can monitor a baby’s blood condition In Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU).

With this electronic and wireless device It is possible to monitor salivary electrolytes in infants, as well as detect their sodium and potassium levels in real time; Without the use of procedures such as blood sampling.

As stated in the University Journal Biosensors and BioelectronicsThis smart pacifier avoids invasive methods for newborns and provides extra hospital care for premature babies or babies with other health problems.

In addition to Washington State University, Other researchers from the Georgian Institute of Technology, Pukyong National University (South Korea) and Yonsei University School of Medicine are co-authors of this paper. (Also from an Asian country).

In a preview of the study published on the website of the American Institution, which published this study, Professor and author of Jong-Hun Kim’s project explained how this system could benefit hospitalized infants.

Პիրველი, It was recalled that the main goal of this project is to develop bioelectronic pacifiers focused on eliminating all the cables that normally surround newborns and premature babies. In intensive care units.

“We often see pictures where babies are attached to wires to monitor their health, such as heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature and blood pressure. “We want to get rid of these cables,” he said.

Besides, The teacher noted that taking blood can not only be potentially painful for newborns, Rather, they collect random information because they are held in specific departments (morning and night) rather than constantly.

To provide detailed information about the baby’s condition, this bioelectronic pacifier has a system that is included in a normal pacifier and The baby’s saliva is taken through microfluidic channels.

In this way, when the baby has a pacifier on, information is collected through these channels The device does not require any type of pumping system and operates independently.

In addition, these are microfluidic channels Integrates a series of selective sensors that measure the concentration of sodium and potassium ions in infant saliva.

Once the device collects all of this patient information, Transmits it wirelessly to electronic equipment via Bluetooth.

This way the neonatal care team will be able to know the health status of the hospitalized infants at any time, without taking blood or other invasive methods.

At this time andThe team of researchers who created this smart device is working to make the components more accessible and recyclable.

After achieving this goal, it is planned to develop a larger prototype of a bioelectronic pacifier to test on other older patients.

“We know that premature babies have a better chance of survival if they receive high-quality care in the first month of life,” Jong-hun Kim concluded.

(Reported by Europe Press)

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