Preterm births are the leading cause of death worldwide for children under five, and one million babies every year do not survive their first hour. Luckily, up to 75% of these deaths are preventable with the right treatment, but this life-saving technology can be hard to access in many areas of the world.
Claudio Bruno Castillon Levano and his team at the Pontifical Catholic University in Peru set out to alleviate this problem. By 2003, they had come with a portable incubator, which Levano named the neonatal artificial bubble, that can provide continuous and regulated air flow of filtered, oxygenated, and humidified air to a high-risk newborn. In less than two seconds, the infant can be enveloped in a warm, sterile environment that greatly reduces the chance of death or life-long disabilities in a new baby.
The neonatal artificial bubble helps premature babies and children who have illnesses, infection, birth asphyxia, and other medical problems. Immediate help for these children is important to prevent death or life-long disabilities.
The first incubator was made in France in 1880, but it was large, immobile, and reliant on a steady power supply. Levano’s design, conversely, is powered by a battery and is much more portable and reliable in areas of the world where electricity is non-existent or unreliable.
Blue 80.1%–100%
Dark Green 60.1%–80%
Light Green 40.1%–60%
Orange – 20.1%–40%
Red – 0–20%
Gray – No data
(Photos from Getsnoopy)
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