Case Study: James Dyson International Award achieves low-cost inflatable incubator to reduce premature infant deaths with SolidWorks

The James Dyson Award Winning Inflatable Incubator

The James Dyson International Award recognized James Roberts for MOM, an inexpensive, electronically controlled inflatable incubator designed to cut premature infant deaths in developing nations and refugee camps. Facing problems of cost (traditional incubators can cost ~£30,000), size, maintenance and shipping, Roberts used SolidWorks CAD and simulation tools to develop a compact, low-cost, easily serviceable alternative.

Using SolidWorks, Roberts modeled every component (including electronics and the inflatable section), used plastic-deformation and FEA validation to choose materials, and produced manufacturable plans for the inflatable parts. The result is a highly portable design — 40 MOM units fit in the shipping space of one conventional incubator — with plug-and-play parts and a five-year target lifespan; the prototype won the James Dyson International Award and is being prepared for field deployment to help reduce thousands of annual neonatal deaths.

James Dyson International Award

James Roberts

James Dyson International Award