Around ten percent of newborns in Norway need medical support immediately after birth. The case of birth aspiration – an acute lack of oxygen – is particularly serious that leads to about one million deaths a year worldwide. Goal of the project Newborn it is to drastically lower this number. The focus is on an innovation: thermal imaging cameras that document it in accordance with the second, when the birth takes place and which resuscitation measures are initiated.
The Mobotix thermal cameras are discreetly installed over the birth bed. They record temperature changes from which digital timels can be generated with the help of artificial intelligence – for example when the child was born, when mask ventilation was carried out and how long it lasted. This exact time management is intended to support medical staff in critical decisions and establish new standards in the long term.
Data protection and clinical -compatible
Data protection was a top priority for use in obstetrics. Mobotix’s decentralized camera systems save image data locally-without cloud connection-and do not provide identifying visual information. As a result, the privacy of parents and children remains completely preserved. At the same time, the solution meets high demands on reliability and the ability to integrate.
James Nathan Miller from Bravida, the integration partner in the Stavanger Hospital, emphasizes: “Especially in the highly sensitive area of obstetrics, it was crucial to find a system that convinces both technically and ethically.”
The hospital was able to fall back on existing experiences with Mobotix solutions, for example in the field of fire protection and clinic monitoring. For the new project, the technology was adapted accordingly and precisely tailored to the needs of the delivery room.
Research with global claim
The importance of the project extends far beyond Norway. The first research results have already been published in the BMC Digital Health journal and could help shape new guidelines in neonatology in the future. The concept can also be transferred to other clinics and countries – especially in regions with high infant mortality or a limited medical staff.
Dr. Christian Cabirol, Chief Technology Officer at Mobotix, explains: “Our thermal solutions not only provide exact infrared images, but also precise data for medical research – data protection, reliable and easy to install.”
Technology for the protection of life
The NewbornTime project is an impressive example of how modern image processing and artificial intelligence be able to act beyond their classic area of application – and can save lives. What is already established in industry or infrastructure opens up completely new perspectives in medicine: contactless, precise and ethically responsible support for medical staff in exceptional situations.
Mobotix thus underlines his claim to set standards in the healthcare system-with high-end technology that not only protects, but actively contributes to improving care. In a world that count in seconds, thermal imaging technology provides a new dimension of care.