The manufacture of the Incuheal will be similar to that of a traditional hot water bottle, using a natural rubber or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) composite. We've chosen this material because of the properties it can offer to an application such as ours.
Stronger and more durable than alternative materials or rubbers, PVC is available at a low cost, helping to sustain our target selling price of $10 per unit.
The actual design of the Incuheal is based on the idea of a capsule in which the infant will lie. The capsule will be mostly open on the top to provide access, but with the walls rising high enough to provide sufficient depth so to maintain an average temperature inside the capsule of at least 34°C for several hours.
To achieve this, the base and walls of the Incuheal are designed with an inner cavity, creating an insulted space inside for hot or warm water, like a hot water bottle. The water jacket will be accessible via a filler cap located specifically towards the rear of the capsule so that in the event of water leakage the occupant remains safe.
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| Artists impression of Incuheal capsule with infant. |
Structure and shape will be maintained naturally by the form of the Incuheal, like how a tennis ball cut in half would retain its form, even though the material it's made of is flexible. As such, the Incuheal will be light and flexible enough for storage, while retaining sufficient rigidity to perform as an infant capsule.
To maximize heat distribution around the capsule, the skin has a layer of fins. These serve the same purpose as on a hot water bottle: to allow air to pass between the contact surface and the skin of the product, creating a layer of warm air insulation. The same principle can be seen being put to use in nature in the way some mammals use their piloerector muscles at each hair follicle to puff up body hair (seen on humans as 'goosebumps'), creating a jacket of warmth.
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| Example of skin of capsule and filler cap. |
I find this idea quite interesting and hope to see it put into place. But I do have a issue I would like to see addressed.
ReplyDeleteOne of the primary benefits of an incubator is that it provides a controlled temperature. Given the inconsistent nature of temperature typically found in a water bottle.
How do you intend to create an even spread of temperature to the child so as not to create points of overexposure?
Particularly if this device is offered for people who are distant from hospitals, how will it ensure that a safe temperature is used to begin with, given that the heat is applied by boiling water.
Additionally will these be disposable? If not what measures have been taken to avoid dangerous growths within the moist locations, given that in many areas clean water must be conserved for drinking?
Hi Andrew
ReplyDeleteI also find this product concept really interesting, and the idea quite simple which adds to its comprehensiveness as a lei-person. I too had a few queries on the products heat distribution, in ensuring that the infant is not over heated, scolded etc. Additionally, knowing how flexible the hot water bottles to today are, feared the structure such that it would cave in on the infant. You have done a great job noting all these design issues, and how Incuheal has sought and found solutions to them.
Best of luck.
Alexandra
Regarding the point raised about having controlled temperature inside the Incuheal, this is an important consideration and one that has been addressed in the product design.
ReplyDeleteTo ensure a safe and consistent temperature is maintained, particularly around the infant's points of contact, the skin of the Incuheal will be thicker in these regions, restricting the transmission of heat energy to the outside surface. Accordingly, the average thickness of the inside skin will be such that, even with boiling water, the temperature inside the capsule will not exceed the safety and design limits.
The concept is that the Incuheal will be a reusable device. As such, the material will be resistant to household and hospital grade disinfectants/sanitisers, where they're available. Like you've said, many areas need to conserve clean water for drinking. In these cases, it would be advisable that the capsule be returned to the distributor for cleaning, or otherwise not reused until it can be cleaned.
Alexandra, you make an excellent point about the heat distribution and control. Hopefully my response to the comment above your's has adequately addressed your query. As for the flexibility, while the nature of rubberised PVC would allow a degree of flex, the shape and thickness of material won't allow it to cave in on the infant.
Going back to my tennis ball analogy, if you take a tennis ball and cut a flat rectangle out (let's say, a hot water bottle shape), you'll find it's quite flexible. But like with the concave, half-tennis ball situation, it is flexible but definitely resistant to permanent distortion, as in the case of a cave in.
I hope your queries have been adequately addressed, and we appreciate your feedback!
-Andrew