According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2018 as many as 7,000 newborns in the world died every day. In Indonesia alone, about 185 per day with about 15/1000 live babies.

Some factors of newborn mortality in Indonesia are 34% prematurity, 7% hypothermia, and 6% jaundice (ikterus, yellow babies).

In order to reduce the mortality rate for newborns, four students from the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Brawijaya (FTUB) together with two students from the Faculty of Medicine (FKUB) make an innovative multifunctional incubator.

This innovation is based on the Internet of Things so that it can control the condition of the baby optimally and overcome the baby’s condition if it is not normal.

The multifunctional incubator consists of two parts; a mechanical part and an electronic part.

The mechanical part consists of an incubator equipped with a mechanical swing to provide comfort to the baby.

The electronic part consists of two parts; the software part and the hardware part. The software includes the Arduino UNO compiler.

The hardware part includes the ESP-32, DHT22 temperature sensor, sound sensor, light bulb, 20 Watt TL lamp or 52 blue light, and daylight lamp.

This tool has two functions, as a warmer and phototherapy. The tool is used as a warmer in normal babies and premature babies.

When normal babies and newborn premature babies are put in the incubator, the incubator will warm them up using a light bulb.
Babies are dressed and the DHT22 sensor will identify the temperature and humidity.

If the temperature is over 35 and RH is less than 40%, the light will automatically turn off and the fans will turn on.

If the temperature is less than 33 and RH is more than 60%, the light will turn on and the fans will turn off. The temperature setting can be adjusted according to the needs of the baby.

Then the ESP-32 will send information in the form of temperature and humidity in the incubator which is displayed on the web using either a personal computer or smartphone. The time can be set on the LCD of the tool.

When a yellow baby is put in the incubator, the tool will serve as phototherapy, which will turn on the UV light obtained from a 20 Watt TL lamp or 52 blue light and a daylight lamp with only a blindfold on the eye.

“The phototherapy time can be set on the web. If an error occurs, the tool will notify the user via the web and also display it on the LCD,” said one of the team member, Rafa Raihan Fadila.

If the baby cries, this electrical engineering student continued, the sound will be detected by the sensor and the ESP-32 microcontroller will command the swing to work and provide comfort to the baby.

She hopes that this incubator can actually be realized because there is still no multifunctional incubator equipped with phototherapy and mechanical swing and can be monitored by smartphones and personal computers via the web.

“We want this tool to be able to help midwives and hospital staff in taking care for normal, premature, and jaundice babies.” hope this 2019 class student represents her team.

Rafa build this innovation together with her five friends; Mochammad Rofi Sanjaya, Ajeng Kusuma Dewi, Muhammad Yogi Nurrohman, Andi Nurul Isri Indriany Idhil, Monika Ayu Puji Anggraini under the supervising lecturer Rahmadwati, S.T., M.T., Ph.D.

This team will fight along side six other teams from FTUB to represent UB in the National Student Scientific Week (PIMNAS) XXXIII 2020 next November.

“Take care of the baby sincerely with a multifunctional incubator, Stay Healthy Indonesia!” that’s the tagline for Rafa Raihan Fadila’s team. (rrf/mic)