Project

Newlife has received funding from the KDT Joint Undertaking (JU) under grant agreement No 101095792. The JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme and Finland, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland. This project has received funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).

Within the framework of the project running until the end of 2026, new non-invasive monitoring solutions are being researched and developed to ensure the health of mothers and babies before and after childbirth. The well-being of mothers and babies is increasingly being emphasized, and early detection of complications is essential for the prevention of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. In collaboration with over 25 international project partners, methods and devices are being developed to enable the collection of vital data, which can be integrated into clinical workflows while meeting the necessary medical qualifications, as well as being used for personalized monitoring in a home environment.

Fraunhofer IZM is involved in the research and development of new technologies for neonatal monitoring. One aspect involves intelligent baby clothing that monitors the well-being of the baby through highly miniaturized sensors and electronics integrated into the fabric. Another aspect focuses on the development of a baby bed that collects vital signs for data analysis using integrated sensors and optical systems. Additionally, new assembly technologies are being developed for the integration of MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) into flexible and stretchable materials. This serves as the basis for integrating ultrasound transducers (CMUT - Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasound Transducer) into a patch, allowing for the collection of vital data (such as heartbeat) and 3D ultrasound observation of the unborn baby during pregnancy.