Silent Neonatal Incubators, Prototype NICA+

Abstract

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the noise levels in current incubator models and a prototype designed to improve acoustic comfort in neonatal incubators.Methods The study conducted tests on three different incubator models and a prototype called "Neonatal Incubator Acoustic Comfort Class (NICA+)." The tests measured both internal and external sound pressure levels in laboratory conditions. The prototype was developed through collaboration between the Acoustic Engineering laboratory, the robotics/electronics group, and the Industrial Design research group at the Higher School of Engineering, University of Cádiz.Conclusion The results obtained from the prototype (NICA+) show the effectiveness of the design proposal in improving acoustic comfort in neonatal incubators. The data show that the noise levels generated by the prototype, under normal operating conditions, are significantly lower than international recommendations.