Overview
In 2022, 10.4% of live births in the US were preterm. Most babies born before 34 weeks go into a NICU incubator — a plastic bin providing heat, because preemies can’t yet regulate body temperature, with lungs not yet ready to breathe air.
Preemie is a speculative design prototype inspired by the interactions and biomechanics of a real womb during pregnancy. We believe parents nursing children through artificial wombs would still want to interact with their baby as they do with a biological womb — while the artificial womb relieves the physical strain on the mother’s body.
Design
A belt lets anybody "wear" the baby — a design that could let childbearing (or child-wearing) be shared between parents. At home, Preemie sits in a docking station that replenishes nutrients and cleans biological waste; the dock doubles as a monitoring hub with a vitals screen and infusion ports. A muscle-like printed belt grid adds support and flexibility.
The prototype uses soft-robotics techniques to simulate the sensation of breathing, pumping artificial fluid in and out of the womb.