I-Corps: More efficient breast pumping system

这一i-Corps项目的更广泛影响是缓解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各种活动中以高生产力作出贡献的能力。在美国，大约85%的健康新生儿的母亲在出生后的头四个月内排出母乳，大多数母亲使用吸奶器。然而，美国疾病控制与预防中心报告称，对建议的母乳喂养指南的遵从率不到20%。目前，62%的吸奶器使用者报告了从牛奶提取不足到感染等一系列问题。通过提供一种更容易、更舒适的方式抽吸新生儿母乳，该项目将有助于达到疾控中心推荐的指南，从而降低哺乳期婴儿耳朵感染、糖尿病、肠道和呼吸道病毒的风险，以及哺乳妇女感染的风险。通过提供免提取奶的方法，这项技术使使用吸奶器的妇女能够在家里和工作中保持高水平的生产力。这项i-Corps项目开发了一种基于压缩的吸奶器，与现有技术相比，它提高了效率和效果。目前市场上用于提取新生儿母乳的泵只能基于吸入操作，导致不适和生产水平较低。吸力的独家使用是这些泵最大的缺陷之一。相比之下，正在提出的技术使用的是专注于乳房特定区域的按压模式，这些区域在科学研究中已被证明是有效的。这是通过严格模仿哺乳专家推荐的动作来实现的。目前的原型可以驱动女性S用典型的吸乳器吸奶时产生有节奏的乳房挤压。该技术结合了机器人学、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进步，并注重可用性、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.