Transparent Thermal Shield for Newborns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for maintaining stable body temperature in newborn infants are inadequate, as they often require removal of thermal shields for visual assessment, are not portable, and lack efficient thermal insulation, leading to increased mortality and morbidity risks due to hypothermia or hyperthermia.
Innovation Solution
A thermal shield composed of two transparent layers with air pockets that allow for acoustic assessment without opening, enabling easy use, portability, and quick deployment, while maintaining thermal insulation and allowing visual observation of the infant.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the thermal shield is made opaque to provide good thermal insulation, then thermal insulation is improved, but visual observation of the infant is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The shield is made entirely of transparent material, allowing visual observation at all locations on the shield surface. This resolves the contradiction by providing both thermal insulation and visual transparency simultaneously, eliminating the need to unwrap the infant for observation.
2Temperature
If the thermal shield is made non-transparent to improve thermal insulation, then thermal insulation is improved, but acoustic assessment requires removing the shield
Solution Approach 1:
The transparent material acts as an intermediary that allows acoustic waves to pass through while maintaining thermal insulation and visual transparency. This enables acoustic assessment without removing or compromising the thermal shield.
3Temperature
If conventional wrapping materials are used to maintain thermal insulation, then thermal insulation is improved, but portability and compact storage are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The shield is constructed as a thin, flexible transparent structure that can be easily folded and stored in compact form. This maintains thermal insulation while significantly improving portability and ease of storage compared to conventional bulky wrapping materials.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The thermal shield effectively maintains infant temperature within a safe range, allows for continuous monitoring without exposing the infant to cooler environments, and facilitates easy access for medical assessments and interventions, reducing mortality and morbidity risks.
Implementation Method 1
the layers are joined so that there is at least one air containing pocket between the layers
Implementation Method 2
the mutual arrangement of the first and second layer allows, when the thermal shield is in use, the at least one pocket to be deformable to an amount necessary for establishment of acoustic contact between the infant's skin and an acoustic transducer
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a thermal shield 1 for at least partly surrounding a newborn infant by the shield 1 to protect it from undesired cooling or heating. The shield 1 comprises a first layer 3 and a second layer 4 both of a transparent material, which layers 3,4 are joined so that there is at least one air containing pocket 5 between the layers 3,4. When the thermal shield 1 is in use, the mutual arrangement of the first and second layers 3,4 allows the at least one pocket to be deformable to an amount necessary for establishment of acoustic contact between the skin of the infant 10 and an acoustic transducer 11 placed on an outer surface of the second layer 4. In some embodiments of the thermal shield, the at least one air containing pocket 5 is air tight, and acoustic contact can be established over an area of at least 1 cm2. In other embodiments, there is at least one open passage 13 from the surroundings and into each of the at least one air pocket 5 between the first and second layers 3,4, and the compliance of the first layer 3 is higher than the compliance of the second layer 4 so that when an infant is placed in the shield 1, the first layer 3 clings around the infant while the second layer 4 deforms to a lesser extent than the first layer 3 so that air from the surroundings flows into the at least one air pocket 5 via the open passage 13.