Technologies

Background

A neonatal infant typically has only 2 to 3 layers of skin, making the skin extremely delicate, while a full term baby has about 20 layers of skin. In addition, the skin of neonatal infants also exhibits higher levels of pH. When materials such as medical tape or adhesives are used to bond sensors to the weakened skin of neonatal infant, the impact can be harmful and dangerous to the infant. For example, attaching sensors and other devices to the infant’s skin may cause micro-tears in the skin and expose the infant to external pathogens, such as staph infections. These external pathogens can become deadly to the infant’s compromised and under-developed immune system. Therefore, there is a need for a risk-free alternative to monitor an infant’s vitals.