SBIR Phase II: Sensor-based bra to measure breast milk output and monitor changes in breast volume before and after breastfeeding or breast pumping

这一小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业影响影响到母乳喂养期间的母亲和婴儿。虽然全世界都认识到母乳喂养对母亲和婴儿的好处，但由于常见的断奶问题，许多母亲无法实现其母乳喂养目标。拟议的解决方案可能会通过支持正在哺乳或吸奶的母亲，为她们提供维持母乳喂养的资源，从而提高母乳喂养率。获得关于所表达的母乳数量的有价值的信息，可使母亲能够仔细监测其产奶量。同时，它可以预测乳管堵塞，避免严重的并发症，如乳房充血或哺乳期乳腺炎，这些都可以通过早期干预来避免。这一干预措施不仅可以防止过早停止母乳喂养，而且还可以通过降低疾病风险来促进母亲的健康。该监护仪还可能影响婴儿的健康，因为建议母乳喂养以实现最佳生长和发育。此外，拟议的监测仪可能会为科学界提供数据，以便对母亲健康的不同方面进行研究，例如，确定乳腺炎的形成原因。这一项目可能会为婴儿和母亲的哺乳健康带来新的范式。有必要通过减少中断和减少哺乳期乳房炎等常见情况来实现母乳喂养目标。拟议的解决方案旨在通过为母亲提供一种舒适而有效的方法来测量所表达的乳量并确定乳管是否堵塞，从而提高母乳喂养率。研究目标包括：(1)从多个供应商采购和测试文胸面料；(2)设计和开发嵌入式系统和文胸，以便能够适应各种乳房形状和尺寸；(3)设计和开发移动应用程序和算法，其中将包括数据分析和预测；以及(4)优化文胸和移动应用程序。该项目可能会产生一种为哺乳母亲设计的智能、全天候可穿戴的舒适服装，并与移动应用程序配对，显示适合每一位母亲的分析和结果。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project impacts mothers and babies during the breastfeeding period. Although breastfeeding benefits for the mother and the baby are recognized worldwide, many mothers are unable to attain their breastfeeding targets due to common discontinuance problems. The proposed solution may increase breastfeeding rates by supporting mothers who are breastfeeding or breast pumping, providing them with resources to sustain breastfeeding. Access to valuable information on the volume of breastmilk expressed could enable mothers to carefully monitor their milk production. At the same time, it may allow the prediction of clogged milk ducts, avoiding serious complications such as breast engorgement or lactational mastitis that can be avoided with early intervention. This intervention could prevent not only early discontinuance in breastfeeding but also promote increased health for mothers by reducing the risks of disease. The monitor may also impact babies’ health since breastfeeding is recommended to achieve optimal growth and development. Further, the proposed monitor may provide the scientific community with data to enable research into different aspects of mothers’ health, for example, determining the reasons for the formation of mastitis.This project may lead to a new paradigm in lactational health for the baby and the mother. There is an important need to meet breastfeeding objectives by reducing discontinuances and reducing common conditions such as lactational mastitis. The proposed solution aims to increase breastfeeding rates by providing mothers with a comfortable and effective method for measuring the milk volume expressed and for determining if milk ducts are clogged. Research objectives include: (1) sourcing and testing fabrics for the bra from multiple vendors; (2) designing and developing of the embedded system and the bra, so that will be able to accommodate a wide range of breast shapes and sizes; (3) designing and developing mobile applications and algorithms, which will include data analytics and prediction; and (4) optimizing the bra and mobile applications. The project could result in a smart, all-day wearable, comfortable garment designed for breastfeeding mothers that is paired with a mobile app to show analysis and results adapted to each mother.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.