Better care for premature babies through AI and motion analysis | ICT & health

Zheng Peng, a PhD candidate at the Eindhoven University of Technology, has investigated how care for premature babies in Máxima MC (MMC) can be improved. In the study, Peng used motion analysis and artificial intelligence (AI) to detect early health problems such as sepsis, cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Peng developed new technologies and AI models which will diagnose premature babies more accurately and improve care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

The NICU is currently working with the Hero algorithm: an algorithm trained with data. They are looking for better ways to predict decline in babies at an early stage, also known as ‘Early Warning’. “This research is very important for MMC, where we are working on the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in the NICU,” said the first promoter and expert at the intersection of technology and healthcare, Carola van Pul She oversaw this research from her position at both TU/e ​​(Electrical Engineering) and the MMC.

Additional information source integration

Zheng worked on this by looking at the movement as an additional source of information and then integrating that into the AI ​​models. Peng’s research highlights the importance of motion information as a potentially critical parameter for continuous monitoring. New sensors are then needed that can continuously measure this. This will help MMC to improve the care of premature babies by detecting early signs of deterioration in a timely manner.

Bambi belt

According to Van Pul, Zheng Peng’s research not only highlights the social impact of technology in health care, but also opens the door to new opportunities for further research and development in newborn care.

At the beginning of February this year, Máxima MC said that this is the first hospital in the world that now measures the vital functions of premature babies. wireless monitor. For this purpose, the hospital uses the name Bambi Belt, a strap that is worn around the child’s chest. The great advantage of this relatively new solution is that electrodes no longer need to be placed on babies’ chests.

Continuous monitoring

Around the world, millions of premature babies end up in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) every year. There, their vital functions must be continuously monitored. To measure heart rate and rhythm, different electrodes must be placed on the child’s small chest. With the advent of the Bambi Belt, a silicone band, these electrodes can be omitted. The band is equipped with various sensors and so-called dEMG technology for apnea detection, which allows vital functions to be monitored wirelessly.