I-Corps: More efficient breast pumping system

这个I-Corps项目的更广泛影响是减轻与婴儿哺乳有关的问题，这些问题影响到婴儿和哺乳妇女的健康，以及后者在从工作到家务等活动中以高水平的生产力作出贡献的能力。在美国，大约85%有健康新生儿的母亲在出生后的前四个月内挤出乳汁，大多数使用吸奶器。然而，CDC报告说，遵守推荐的母乳喂养指南的比例不到20%。目前，62%的泵用户报告了从乳汁提取不足到感染等问题。通过提供一种更容易和更舒适的方法来抽取新生儿母乳，该项目将有助于达到CDC推荐的指导方针，从而降低哺乳期婴儿耳部感染、糖尿病和肠道及呼吸道病毒的风险，以及母乳喂养妇女感染的风险。通过提供免提吸奶的方式，该技术使使用吸奶器的妇女能够在家庭和工作中保持高水平的生产力。该I-Corps项目开发了一种基于压缩的吸奶器，与现有技术相比，它提高了效率和有效性。目前市场上用于提取新生儿母乳的泵仅基于抽吸操作，导致不适和较低的生产水平。专门使用吸力是这些泵的最大缺陷之一。相比之下，正在提出的技术使用集中在乳房特定区域的压缩模式，这些模式在科学研究中已被证明是有效的。这是通过密切模仿哺乳专家推荐的动作来实现的。现在的原型可以驱动产生一个有节奏的压缩在一个女人？她的乳房，因为她泵使用一个典型的吸奶器。该技术结合了机器人、机电一体化、控制、软件工程、材料和以用户为中心的设计领域的先进技术，专注于可用性、舒适性和人体工程学。

The broader impact of this I-Corps project is to alleviate issues related to infant lactation, which impact the health of infants and breast-feeding women, as well as the ability of the latter to contribute at high levels of productivity in activities ranging from work to household chores. In the United States, approximately 85% of mothers with healthy newborn infants express milk within the first four months post-birth, and the majority do so using a breast pump. Yet, the CDC reports that compliance with recommended breastfeeding guidelines is less than 20%. Currently 62% of pump users report problems ranging from insufficient milk extraction to infections. By providing an easier and more comfortable means for pumping neonatal human milk, this project will assist reaching recommended CDC guidelines thereby reducing risks of ear infection, diabetes and intestinal and respiratory viruses in lactating infants and risks of infection in breast-feeding women. By providing means for hands-free milk extraction the technology enables women using breast pumps to remain high levels productivity at home and at work.This I-Corps project develops a compression based breast pump that improves efficiency and effectiveness compared to current technologies. Pumps for extracting neonatal human milk currently on the market only operate based on suction, leading to discomfort and lower levels of production. The exclusive use of suction is one of the biggest pitfalls of these pumps. In contrast, the technology being proposed uses compression patterns focused on specific areas of the breast that have been shown to be effective in scientific research. This is achieved by closely mimicking motions recommended by lactation experts. The current prototype can actuate to produce a rhythmic compression on a woman?s breast as she pumps using a typical breast pump. The technology combines advances in the fields of robotics, mechatronics, controls, software engineering, materials and user-centered design with a focus on usability, comfort and ergonomics.