Neowax Incubator: Affordable Innovation for Premature Infants
We’re reimagining neonatal care with low-cost, thermally stable incubators that can reach every community, keeping premature infants safer during critical moments.
Motivation
Why Neowax?
Premature infants face significant challenges in thermoregulation. Our project focuses on three core barriers that prevent many babies from receiving safe incubator care.
Limited Access
Many communities still have no reliable incubator nearby.
Thermoregulation
Preemies are extremely vulnerable to temperature swings.
Cost Barriers
Conventional incubators are costly to buy and maintain.
Technology
Our Technology
Utilizing natural materials like beeswax, our incubator provides a stable thermal environment, reducing the need for expensive components.
By focusing on thermal buffering and simple mechanical systems, we lower both upfront and long-term costs while preserving safety and reliability for the most fragile patients.
Beeswax-based thermal buffer
Phase-change properties of beeswax help maintain a stable temperature range, even when external conditions fluctuate.
Minimalist mechanical design
Fewer moving parts reduce maintenance complexity and cost while improving durability in low-resource settings.
Scalable and modular
Configurable components support different clinical workflows, from stationary units to transport-ready modules.
Designed for real-world constraints
Optimized for environments with intermittent power, limited space, and variable clinical infrastructure.
Impact
Projected Impact
Our incubator aims to reduce infant mortality and make safe transport of preemies possible in all communities.
Reduced mortality
Providing thermally stable environments can prevent temperature-related complications that contribute to infant mortality.
Increased access
Lower costs and simplified design make it easier for rural clinics and low-resource hospitals to provide incubator care.
Safer transport
Transport-ready configurations help maintain safe conditions when premature infants move between facilities or levels of care.
Get Involved
We welcome collaboration with clinicians, researchers, NGOs, and partners who share our goal of improving neonatal care in low-resource settings.