Hospitals in developing countries can be terribly understaffed, with nurses taking care of 20 or 30 critically ill babies at the same time. That’s why two Columbia University graduates have developed the Neopenda hat, a little cap that tracks the vital signs of the baby wearing it. Inside the cap is a flat plastic badge that tracks the baby’s heart and respiratory rate, blood oxygen saturation, and temperature. The data captured by the cap is then sent to a tablet that nurses can use to keep an eye on up to 15 babies at a time. The device has tested successfully at a hospital in Uganda and with enough funding, it could help overcome understaffing and save lives.
This vital signs cap will keep an extra eye on infants in understaffed hospitals
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