Development of low-cost IOT based infant incubator in Tanzania: a case of east African community region

Abstract

Physical adjustment to life outside of the mother's body of a baby might be challenging due to health issues and other environmental factors. Prematurity is one of the most crucial problems in Tanzania since it contributes to a greater infant mortality rate. Despite the vital function that infant incubators play, their operation cost is too expensive for low-income countries to obtain and it relies only on electricity for their operation. The fundamental goal of this project is to create an inexpensive, efficient, and dual-powered incubator that saves premature infants' lives. We developed the system which utilizes ESP32 as the Microcontroller Unit board interfaced with DHT22, a thermistor for skin temperature computation, MAX30102 to evaluate heart rate and oxygen saturation in the blood. An oxygen sensor measures the air quality in the chamber, and a ultraviolet sensor records the light intensity of the phototherapy unit used to treat jaundice. The computed information is displayed and transferred to a webpage that tracks the infant's data. When the system detects a critical condition, it sounds an alarm and sends short messege services to medical personnel via Global System for Mobile Communication. The system adjusts the environment using a heater, humidifier, and oxygen valve. The final design was implemented on a Printed Circuit Board and tested after a circuit was designed and simulated. The sensors were calibrated against standard sensors to receive accurate measured data, and then transferred via Wi-Fi through the ESP32 to a webpage for remote monitoring and control. In conclusion, based on the test-performed the developed system can save the lives of premature babies, is low-cost, and is applicable in areas with limited resources. Furthermore, we recommend an easy way to assess the functionality of the locally developed systems by the regulatory institutions involved so as to be implemented successfully.