Hungarian researchers have developed an artificial intelligence-based camera system capable of continuously monitoring the body position and movement of premature infants in an incubator without the use of wires or physical sensors, the HUN-REN Hungarian Research Network told MTI on Friday.
The results of this internationally outstanding development—a collaboration between HUN-REN SZTAKI – Institute for Computer Science and Control and Semmelweis University—were published in the prestigious journal Pediatric Research.
They explained that
monitoring the movement and sleeping positions of babies in neonatal intensive care units is crucial for assessing the development of the nervous system and for the early detection of neurological abnormalities.
The smart camera system they developed analyzes videos of newborns in incubators in real time with centimeter-level precision and can distinguish between normal movements and reactions indicating stress or abnormalities. Furthermore, the solution helps align examinations and care with the infants’ natural sleep-wake cycles, which has been shown to accelerate their development and shorten their hospital stays, the announcement added.
The technology is powered by sophisticated deep-learning algorithms that have been trained on a large dataset.
To develop it, the researchers analyzed a total of about 8,400 hours of video footage of 88 premature infants.
The new method offers several medical advantages. Since it operates completely wirelessly and without physical contact, it protects newborns from skin irritation and restricted movement caused by physical sensors. The continuous 24/7 monitoring also provides a far more precise picture than periodic clinical rounds. This allows examinations and daily care to be tailored to the babies’ natural sleep-wake cycles. This reduction in stress and the personalized care have been shown to accelerate the development of the most vulnerable patients and can thus significantly shorten their hospital stay.
Related article
Semmelweis Sets Sights on Joining the World’s Top Universities
The university celebrated the graduation of 492 medical students. Continue reading
Via MTI; Featured photo: Pixabay