Baby clothes may protect our tots from a great many things, the elements and their propensity to get doody everywhere predominantly. The one thing they don’t do, usually, is provide parents with the kind of protection against sudden illness that wearable technology can provide. In short, they are mostly fabric and not a whole lot else. The tech scene is starting to catch on that, hey, babies need technology too! First up? A baby’s romper that could just save its life.
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM in Berlin have developed a romper suit with an integrated sensor system could warn parents as soon as their child stops breathing, thus drastically reducing instances of SIDS(Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.) Also, it must be noted, the rompers they have designed are quite stylish. No need to sacrifice fashion for safety, right?
How does this work? Sensors, of course. An integrated sensor system is the star of the show here and keeps a constant eye on the child’s breathing patterns, alerting parents to anything out of the ordinary. The best part? The sensors that make up this romper are stretchable, thus giving them all manner of other applications in the future. The institute sees a bright future for these sensors, hoping to see them used as an early detection system for other ailments, including kidney failure.
This romper is just a working concept for now. You can’t go into your local stork store and buy one, yet. It’s such an ingenious idea, though, how long can it be before you can? We’ll, of course, let you know when the myth and majesty of wearable technology will help keep your baby safe from harm. In the meantime, check out this video of what the Fraunhofer Institute is all about.
