Deep Dive
Read More About the Neowax Incubator
The Neowax Incubator project is focused on creating a low-cost, thermally stable incubator that can safely support premature infants in settings where traditional equipment is either unavailable or unsustainable.
Project Overview
Neowax Incubator is an initiative to re-think neonatal incubators from the ground up. Instead of relying on complex, expensive machinery, the design emphasizes natural thermal buffering, simple mechanics, and materials that are accessible and maintainable in low-resource environments.
The core mission is to make life-saving thermal support for premature infants available to all communities, regardless of their infrastructure or purchasing power. By strategically simplifying the design and focusing on what matters most for infant safety, Neowax aims to bridge a critical care gap in global health.
“Every premature infant deserves a safe start, regardless of geography or income.”
The Problem We Address
Prematurity is a leading cause of neonatal mortality worldwide. Premature infants struggle to regulate their body temperature and can quickly become hypothermic without stable thermal support. In many regions, traditional incubators are either too expensive, difficult to maintain, or dependent on reliable power and infrastructure that may not exist.
As a result, healthcare workers frequently improvise with blankets, warm water bottles, or skin-to-skin methods alone, which may not be sufficient during transport or in overcrowded facilities. These limitations contribute to preventable complications and deaths among some of the most vulnerable patients.
Healthcare infrastructure gaps
Many clinics lack the resources to purchase, operate, and maintain conventional incubators, especially in rural or low-income areas.
Cost and complexity
High acquisition costs, complex electronics, and specialized maintenance limit the number of functional units available where they are needed most.
Risks during transport
Moving premature infants between facilities or levels of care introduces additional thermal risk when stable, portable incubator options are not available.
Our Innovative Approach
Thermal Innovation with Beeswax
At the heart of the Neowax Incubator is a beeswax-based thermal buffer. Beeswax acts as a phase-change material, absorbing and releasing heat as it transitions between states. This helps keep the incubator environment within a safer temperature range even when ambient conditions fluctuate.
By leveraging this natural property, we can reduce dependence on continuous active heating and complex control systems, lowering energy requirements and simplifying the hardware.
Design for Low-Resource Settings
The incubator is designed to be robust, maintainable, and intuitive to use. Components are selected and arranged to tolerate variable power availability, limited spare parts, and real-world handling. The design also considers cleaning, disinfection, and training needs for busy clinical teams.
Built for Transport and Field Use
Transport is a particularly vulnerable time for premature infants. Neowax aims to support safer transfers by enabling a stable, portable thermal environment. Modular configurations can be adapted for use in ambulances, between wards, or in outreach settings, helping keep preemies safer across the entire care journey.
Development Journey
- Concept & exploration: Identifying the key constraints and opportunities for simpler, more accessible incubator designs.
- Prototype design: Integrating beeswax-based thermal buffering with a mechanically simple incubator structure.
- Iterative testing: Refining performance based on thermal measurements, usability feedback, and simulated field conditions.
- Pilot deployment: Planning real-world evaluations in collaboration with clinicians and partner organizations.
Impact & Future Vision
The long-term vision for Neowax Incubator is to see affordable, robust incubators become standard equipment in clinics and facilities that currently have none. By closing this gap, we can help reduce preventable neonatal deaths and give premature infants a stronger chance at survival and healthy development.
Beyond individual devices, the project aims to foster collaboration among engineers, clinicians, and global health partners to continually improve the design and adapt it to local needs. Future work may include integrating monitoring tools, refining transport modules, and supporting training programs for frontline staff.
Get Involved
We welcome collaboration with clinicians, researchers, NGOs, and partners who share our goal of improving neonatal care in low-resource settings.