Contactless vital signs and movement monitoring and brain development in extremely premature infants- a translational study

Project Code

MRCNMH25Br Chakkarapani

Research Theme

Neuroscience and Mental Health

Project Summary Download

Summary

Currently used wired contact-based sensor system for vital sign monitoring in extremely premature babies, born before 28 weeks of pregnancy, could damage their skin and impede skin-skin contact with their parents, affecting parent-infant bonding. Further, babies’ early movement patterns could help us understand how their immature brains are developing. This project will validate a contactless system using mmWave radar technology to measure heart rate, breathing rate, and movements in preterm animals, and in preterm babies during intensive care and skin-skin contact. We will characterise the movement patterns and explore their associations with brain development.

Lead Supervisor

Dr Ela Chakkarapani

Lead Supervisor Email

ela.chakkarapani@bristol.ac.uk

University Affiliation

Bristol