Over one in 10 babies worldwide are born prematurely and, according to the World Health Organisation, 75% of deaths resulting from premature birth could be avoided if inexpensive treatments were more readily available across the globe.
Designed by a design engineer, James Roberts, 23, a recent graduate from Loughborough University, the device can be collapsed for transportation and runs off a battery, which lasts 24 hours, in case of power outages. Providing the same performance as a £30,000 modern incubation system, MOM costs just £250 to manufacture, test and transport to the desired location. The incubator is blown up manually and it is heated using ceramic heating elements. A screen shows the current temperature and the humidity, which can be custom set, depending on the gestation age. An alarm will sound if the desired temperature changes.
In addition, for babies that suffer from jaundice there is a phototherapy unit, which is collapsible too. MOM complies with British incubation standards - delivering a stable heat environment, humidification and jaundice lighting.
Winning the James Dyson Award will inject £30,000 into further prototyping and testing, with a view to further cost reductions and ultimately seeing MOM mass-produced.
Roberts said, "I was inspired to tackle this problem after watching a documentary on the issue for premature babies in refugee camps. It motivated me to use my design engineering skills to make a difference. Like many young inventors, there have been struggles along the way - I had to sell my car to fund my first prototype! The dream would be to meet a child that my incubator has saved - living proof that my design has made a difference."
James Dyson said, "His invention shows the impact design engineering can have on people's lives. The western world takes incubators for granted - we do not think about how their inefficient design makes them unusable in developing countries and disaster zones. By bravely challenging convention, Roberts has created something that could save thousands of lives."
Dr Steve Jones, Consultant Paediatrician at the Royal United Hospital, Bath added, "MOM is an interesting piece of innovation - I particularly like the integration of phototherapy, as jaundice is a very common co-morbidity alongside prematurity. Its use need not be limited to developing world scenarios. I could see it being used in the UK to support community midwifery units, or following home births."
QOLO from Japan, designed by Yosuke Eguchi and Yusuke Kiyotani, University of Tsukubat, who reviewed the problem of existing wheelchairs, which can deprive users of physical freedom. Standing up from the chair to perform simple tasks, such as preparing food on a kitchen worktop, whilst remaining supported, is not possible for wheelchair-bound individuals.
QOLO is a personal wheelchair that allows people with a disability in the lower limbs to stand up from the chair and some movement whilst being supported. Electric motors can be heavy and expensive. QOLO uses the upper body weight of the user to control passive electrical parts enabling them to sit up and down. For upright movement, the user can move forward simply by tilting their upper body, and turn in any direction by twisting the upper body in that direction.
Suncayr of Canada, from Derek Jouppi, Rachel Pautler, Andrew Martinko, Chad Sweeting, Hayden Soboleski, University of Waterloo, who reviewed sunburn problems.
People are unaware they need to reapply sun cream and can be left with painful burns. Inadequate protection from the sun greatly increases an individual's risk of developing skin cancer. The current solutions on the market are stickers and wristbands that are uncomfortable and can easily fall off.
Suncayr is a colour changing marker pen that the user draws on their skin. The ink is UV responsive, meaning that when UV hits the ink, it changes colour - letting users know that they need to reapply their sunscreen. Its pen-like marker is applied directly onto the skin - users can draw whatever shape they like.
Bruise, UK from Dan Garrett, Ming Kong, Lucy Jung, Elena Dieckmann of the Royal College of Art.
Athletes who have reduced or no sensation in a part of their body (eg paraplegics), can struggle with detecting injuries. It can be very difficult to differentiate between a bruise and a more serious injury. Visual symptoms also show up slowly for people with paralysis because of poor circulation. Consequently, serious injuries can easily be left unnoticed.
Bruise is a smart injury detection suit for disabled athletes with loss of sensation. It applies a recyclable pressure-sensitive film to indicate the severity of injuries. High-risk areas are covered with disposable, made-to-fit film sheet inserts. If an area is excessively stressed during an accident, the film will irreversibly change colour.
