Case Study: University of York advances infant development research with Protolabs

Protolabs supports scientific research in infant development through Consultative Design, 3D Printing and Injection Moulding Services

The University of York’s Psychology Department, led by Associate Professor Elena Geangu, needed help turning its EgoActive concept into a manufacturable infant wearable device. The challenge was to create lightweight, comfortable casing parts for a compact head-mounted camera and heart activity sensor that could safely be used with babies in their natural environment, under a tight 12-month timeline. Protolabs supported the project with Consultative Design Services, 3D printing, and injection moulding.

Protolabs helped iterate the designs using PolyJet and Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing before moving into injection moulding for the final parts. In total, Protolabs produced around 3,500 units across 13 different parts, enabling the University of York to move EgoActive from concept to a working research product. The platform has since generated strong interest in the scientific community, supported publication in the Sensors journal, and is now being used to collect data from families in São Paulo and York.

University of York

Elena Geangu

Associate Professor