Crib A'Glow
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Crib A'Glow is a portable solar-powered phototherapy unit that uses blue LED lights to treat infants with jaundice. The device was invented by Virtue Oboro, a visual designer and mother whose newborn son had developed jaundice. Crib A'Glow has won multiple prizes for innovation.
In 2015, Oboro's son developed symptoms of jaundice soon after birth. The nearby hospital had five phototherapy units; however, two were already in use and the other three were inoperable. Once he was in a phototherapy unit, a power outage led to him developing severe jaundice for which he received an emergency blood transfusion.[1] Jaundice affects more than 60% of newborns throughout the world, with the most serious cases requiring phototherapy. In Nigeria, it is estimated that fewer than 5% of medical facilities have sufficient phototherapy devices to treat the condition.[2] Approximately 100,000 infants die annually from jaundice, with many more experiencing permanent injuries.[1]
After Oboro's son recovered, she and her husband began their Tiny Hearts Technology company to work on the development of a portable crib that could use solar power to provide phototherapy to jaundiced infants.[1]