UC Irvine

There are approximately 6,500 newborn deaths each day. Despite many of these deaths being preventable by proper access to quality healthcare, the world continues to see a health crisis that disproportionately impacts low-and-middle income countries (LMICs), with about 98% of newborn deaths occurring in these regions. The WHO has identified syringe pumps as necessary medical devices because they can gradually deliver precise amounts of medication, fluids, nutrients, and electrolytes to neonates. However, the majority of syringe infusion pumps currently on the market depend on electricity, which can be unreliable in areas lacking proper infrastructure. Our solution, NeoFusion, does not require electricity and is fully mechanical, powered by the potential energy stored in a spring. Preliminary trials with our prototype achieved accurate and adjustable flow rates. In future designs, we will incorporate a visual and auditory alarm system for occlusions.