A smart baby bottle, which uses sensors to measure a baby’s tongue strength and sends the data to a provider’s mobile device, has received FDA clearance. The bottle was developed by NFANT Labs, formerly known as CCB Research Group. Designed to help babies who have been tube fed in intensive care units move to bottle or breast feeding, the device could speed up patient discharge. Up to 70 percent of the 540,000 premature babies born in the NICUs each year experience feeding problems. At present, doctors must assess tongue strength subjectively by placing a finger in a baby’s mouth. The NFANT bottle is the first device that will enable tongue strength to be assessed through hard data. The non-invasive device contains a reusable sensor that sends the data via low energy Bluetooth. It can be used for a one-time assessment, or for ongoing tracking of an infant’s feeding habits. NFANT will sell the system to hospitals for use in US.
A smart baby bottle, which uses sensors to measure a baby’s tongue strength and sends the data to a provider’s mobile device, has received FDA clearance. The bottle was developed by NFANT Labs, formerly known as CCB Research Group. Designed to help babies who have been tube fed in intensive care units move to bottle or breast feeding, the device could speed up patient discharge. Up to 70 percent of the 540,000 premature babies born in the US each year experience feeding problems. At present, doctors must assess tongue strength subjectively by placing a finger in a baby’s mouth. The NFANT bottle is the first device that will enable tongue strength to be assessed through hard data. The non-invasive device contains a reusable sensor that sends the data via low energy Bluetooth. It can be used for a one-time assessment, or for ongoing tracking of an infant’s feeding habits. NFANT will sell the system to hospitals for use in NICUs.