CWS for Babies

Monitoring of newborns vital parameters

Description

The aim of the project is to monitor the pain and vital parameters of newborns without the use of invasive methods that may cause them harm or discomfort. The system uses a camera to film the newborn, and through an image-processing algorithm that analyses the infant’s movements, determines vital parameters and measures the pain caused. The advantages of this application are the total absence of invasive methods and the absence of devices attached to the newborn, which, in the measurement methods currently in use, could be accidentally removed and may compromise the objectivity of the assessment. The images are then sent to a computer equipped with software containing the recognition and data analysis algorithm, in order to maintain a dossier on the patient’s health status.

Result to be enhanced

The project achieved several objectives, including the objective quantification of newborns’ pain without invasive methods (less impact on the patient) and the improvement of working conditions for healthcare workers. It is important to emphasise the ease of use, as it is available to anyone who can install a video camera on incubators. In addition, a data post-processing procedure was developed to ensure that the user can use the information obtained from the monitoring activities as input for conducting statistical analyses with the main softwares used in the clinical field to conduct clinical studies, identify correlations between variables and discover new information that can help improve medical practices in the neonatal sector.

Why is it important?

It is an innovative prototype in the neonatal sector, which makes it possible to solve various problems in the field of infant pain detection. In fact, it develops a new system that is able to use improved algorithms, compared to those within the scope of research already conducted regarding infant pain detection, and to integrate effectively into hospitals.
Furthermore, the project has led to a revolution in the world of infant pain detection, significantly facilitating the work of healthcare workers and doctors in monitoring and caring for newborns.