Encouraging developments in incubator design

Abstract

We would like to acknowledge and applaud the efforts of Goossens and Willemsen1 as well as BabyBloom Healthcare for the design and development of their neonatal incubator, which has recently become available on the European market. Similar to our recent incubation system research and design project,2 BabyBloom’s incubator was designed using a ‘human-centered’ approach, as detailed in Willemsen’s master thesis.3 While the data collection and analysis methods differed somewhat between our independent efforts, both efforts followed a design philosophy that focused on supporting the needs of select user groups, as opposed to the more traditional design approaches that tend to be driven by the technical capabilities of existing technologies (i.e., a ‘technology-centered’ approach). Both efforts also emphasized that the needs of not only the neonatal patient but also of family members and medical personnel should be considered in the design process in order to support a well-functioning ‘incubation system’.2