NeoFetal
Ensuring Ramp Worker's Safety and Support
Rural areas in Kenya need a low-cost ultrasound solution for medical facilities that have limited financial and human resources.
There are significantly large discrepancies between pregnancy outcomes in developing countries versus developed countries. Due to low resources in rural areas of Kenya, Maternal and Neonatal mortality rates remain high.
NeoFetus is an accessory to the existing
monitoring device that can be used with
just a tablet and charging device to
monitor both fetal and maternal health.
Our goal is to expand toward fetal care through NeoGuard technology, making it easier to monitor a patient's journey and the fetus's heart rate.
Through an adapted neoGuard-based product, the next logical step in the product line is Neopenda directed toward fetal care. Focusing on the development of a low-cost fetal monitor for low-level healthcare facilities.
Integration of the NeoGuard system allows Neofetal to monitor:
Pulse Rate
Respiration Rate
Blood Oxygen Saturation
Temperature
By composing both NeoGuard into NeoFetal, the device can:
1. Meet the needs of different users
2. Create Flexibility in the product to help reduce cost
Using an Application interface to track Fetal Heart Rate (FHR) as well as show patient details.
Patient details (right) show the pregnancy journey which the user goes through. Used to help nurses and doctors know the next patient appointment and help evaluate low and high-risk pregnancies.
Instructive Pamphlet to Reduce Training of Caregivers
The pamphlet serves as a valuable tool in streamlining training processes and enabling providers to swiftly grasp the functionality of the product.
There are multiple scenarios of use based on different contexts and users
Scenario 1: Patients / Pregnant Mothers
Future Offering
Pregnancy awareness
Receive pamphlets about low-cost prenatal body check-ups by Neopenda
Ultrasound Check-up in local clinic
Revisit for ultrasound checkup
Scenario 2: Newborn Babies
The current offering feature of NeoPenda
The modular design of NeoGuard and NeoFetal enables caregivers to utilize the components in multiple configurations. The NeoGuard module can detach from the NeoFetal system and independently monitor newborn heart rate, providing flexibility to healthcare providers.
Scenario 3: Combining Prenatal & Postpartum
Current and Future Offering
When an expectant mother's pregnancy is monitored by the NeoFetal system and the newborn subsequently receives postnatal monitoring from the detachable NeoGuard module, a continuous record of the baby's health data is retained throughout the prenatal and neonatal periods.
Scenario 4: Caregivers
Future Offering
Caregiver observes the pamphlet for instructions
Assemble the device based on the instructions in the pamphlet
Light on Doppler and interface shows connection
Device shows ultrasound and provides analysis of heartrate
From Risk to Relief
Neofetal seeks to help communities detect emerging health issues early to administer timely care that gives every child the best possible start to life.
DESIGN PROCESS
IDEATE
First Stage of Ideations
Second Stage of Ideations
RESEARCH
Secondary Research
This involved:
- Pregnancy-related health concerns and challenges faced by pregnant mothers in rural Kenya.
- Preferred methods of communication and education for medical professionals in rural Kenya
- Preference for sustainable and affordable products for fetal care.
Phillips’ Avalon CL Fetal and
Maternal Pod & Patch
(Continous Monitoring, Attached)
Fetal Heart Monitoring Straps
(Incontinous Monitoring, Device)
Corded Fetal Doppler
(Continous Monitoring, Attached)
Focusing on the development of a low-cost wireless doppler with the current Neopenda device to help tackle the pain points of training and the cost of equipment.
Takeaways:
a) Charging port
b) Power Button
c) Bluetooth
d) Doppler sensor
X
Duration
Aug 2022 - Dec 2022
My Role:
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
UX Research
User Interface
Prototyping / Wireframing
Ideations
3D Modeling
Story Boarding
Team:
Dennis Siegert
Nafisa Shams
Youqi Wang
Winky Cai
Design Tools:
Mural
Figma
Adobe Suite
Solidworks
Shaper3D
Blender
References
Kenya and maternal health: Delivering results: Think global health. Council on Foreign Relations. (n.d.). Retrieved December 28, 2022, from https://www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/kenya-and-maternal-health-delivering-results
Fetal Heart Monitoring. Fetal Heart Monitoring | Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2019, August 14). Retrieved December 28, 2022, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/fetal-heart-monitoring
Cohen WR;Ommani S;Hassan S;Mirza FG;Solomon M;Brown R;Schifrin BS;Himsworth JM;Hayes-Gill BR; “Accuracy and Reliability of Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring Using Maternal Abdominal Surface Electrodes.” Acta Obstetricia Et Gynecologica Scandinavica, U.S. National Library of Medicine, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22924738/.
External and Internal Heart Rate Monitoring of the Fetus - Health Encyclopedia - University of Rochester Medical Center, https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=92&contentid=P07776
P;, Bottrich M;Husar. “Signal Separation for Transabdominal Non-Invasive Fetal Pulse Oximetry Using Comb Filters.” Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Annual International Conference, U.S. National Library of Medicine, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30441671/
Nyongesa, C., Xu, X., Hall, J.J. et al. Factors influencing choice of skilled birth attendance at ANC: evidence from the Kenya demographic health survey. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 18, 88 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-018-1727-z
Address
Institute of Design
3137 S Federal St Chicago, IL 60616
Contact
E: dsiegert@id.iit.edu
P: +1 (917) 216 9032