- Ceiling-mounted cameras automatically identify and record the posture of children during their nap.
- No need to prepare sensors for noon checks and no need to change batteries
- IMAGE ANALYSIS AND AI TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED IN THE MEDICAL FIELD HAVE DRAMATICALLY IMPROVED THE ACCURACY OF THE NOON SLEEP CHECK.
Babymonitor is a nocturnal sleep check system that uses ceiling-mounted cameras to detect unsafe postures in sleeping infants. The system eliminates the need to place a mat with a built-in sensor or attach some kind of device to the child's clothing each time the child goes to sleep. The product has won the BabyTech® Award Japan 2020 in the safety and monitoring category. The BabyTech.jp editorial team caught up with Satoru Uragami (EMC Healthcare), the developer of BabyMoni, to find out more about the product, how it was developed and what the future holds.
We spoke with...
Director, EMC Healthcare
Satoru Urakami
Reduces the effort required to check naps in childcare and supports the work of childcare staff
Editor: Thank you very much for your time today. Can you give us a quick overview of Baby Moni?
Uragami: First, let's talk about the background behind the introduction of the Noon Sleep Check System. In fact, it is said that 70% of fatal accidents in childcare facilities occur during sleep. "This is related to what is known as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), but there is no clear medical cause for this. However, there is data to suggest that SIDS is more likely to occur in children who sleep on their stomachs, so under the guidance of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, childcare facilities are required to conduct a "noon sleep check" (breath check) to check the posture of infants during nap time.
Editor: The childcare worker checks and records posture and breathing every five minutes.
Urakami: That's right. Normally, nursery teachers would like to use the time during the nap to prepare for the next day's care or to spend more time observing the children's sleep. However, checking each child's posture and breathing every five minutes and filling in a form on a piece of paper can be a daunting task. BabyMonitor is a solution to this problem using the power of ICT.
Solving the disadvantages of the 'nap check system' found in childcare!
Urakami: Specifically, the AI analyzes images taken by a ceiling-mounted camera, and automatically fills in the infant's posture on a nap check sheet. Of course, if it detects supine sleeping, it will also issue an alarm (alert).
Editor: Thank you very much. I have covered other companies' products in the past that similarly support the noon check, but what makes Baby Moni different?
