Product: Non-Contact Movement and Breathing Monitor Developers: Victor Yotam and Haim Shtalryd Company: Hisense Start of Development: 1991
In Israel, Babysense is considered an essential item on a newborn baby shopping checklist; yet few people realize that it is an Israeli invention.
Babysense was designed to address the medical issue of tracking babies’ vital signs. It was invented by an electrical engineer (Yotam) and a technical development manager (Shtalryd) as a solution to a challenge posed to them by an anesthesiologist, who detailed the high cost of devices used to track vitals such as pulse and respiration rate, and the difficulty in connecting these devices to patients. Yotam and Shtalryd set their sights on inventing a product that would be both non-invasive and inexpensive.
After some deliberations, an idea emerged of using a 35mm piezoelectric disc as a movement and breathing detector. The disc produces an electric pulse when bent, and conversely, bends itself in response to electrical current. This conception served as a basis for the development of a sensing device, which in early trials was made out of metal, then wood, and eventually plastic. The sensor would be positioned under the mattress, with its large surface area increasing ability to detect movement and breathing through the mattress.
Ideas regarding increasing its range and disc positioning evolved into an international patent, revolutionizing the field of physiological monitoring. It was the first product developed that could monitor vitals without direct contact.
The application selected for this new technology was the detection of babies’ respiratory cessation that can cause SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), and the consequent alerting of caregivers. SIDS is a leading cause of death worldwide among thousands of babies under the age of one. The clinical trial was held in the nursery at the Kaplan Medical Center. The medical device was stringently tested and later approved for use in the U.S., Europe, and other countries.
Initial promotion was conducted by iconic Israeli television anchor Haim Yavin, who reported on the compelling Israeli invention in a news broadcast.
Today, Babysense is marketed by exclusive international distributors and subsidiaries in over thirty countries worldwide and is used in homes and in thousands of medical institutions.
The company makes use of expertise and knowledge acquired from the development of a variety of health monitoring systems. The company’s products, including Babysense, are still manufactured in Israel.
