A SMART cot that can tell what position a baby is lying in and how it is breathing can detect the early signs of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), or cot death, say Japanese scientists.
"The respiratory movement preceding SIDS is still not yet understood," says Tatsuya Harada of the University of Tokyo, and nor is the precise cause of SIDS. But, he says, there is good reason to believe that changes in breathing and posture can give parents early warning that their baby is in difficulty.
Hospitals already have pressure-sensor devices that monitor this type of activity. "But these systems are not suitable for home use," says Harada. Sensors usually have to be placed on the infant, and this restricts their movement.
The new system, developed by Harada with help from paediatricians at the National Children's Hospital in Tokyo, works with a large number of pressure sensors under the mattress. By analysing the pressure distribution from these 384 sensors the system determines whether the baby is lying face down or on its back, and whether it is quiet, moving or crying.
The other devices based on pressure sensors, says Harada, can only tell whether or not the infant is moving. It is important to be able to recognise the movement of different parts of the body, such as the head, abdomen and hips, to build up an accurate picture of the infant's breathing and posture, he explains.
Another important feature of the system, says Harada, is its ability to adapt to a growing infant despite the drastic changes in the proportions of the body as the infant gets bigger.
The system has been used with 50 infants under the age of one year in preliminary tests designed to extract the algorithms the software needs to interpret data from the pressure sensors. Harada is trying to improve the system by increasing the number of sensors. He says that parents will not be able to buy the system for at least three years.
Marian Willinger of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development near Washington DC is reserving judgement until results are available. "This sort of device could be useful if you want peace of mind but it's not necessary if you make the sleep environment safe. The primary issue is to get parents and caregivers to be consistent in placing infants on their backs," she says.
New Scientist issue: 6th MAY 2000
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