PCM-Driven Soft Facilitated Tucking Device for Preterm Infants

Levi Sulzle, Mahdi Tavakoli, Emir Augusto Vela Saavedra

Keywords: phase change material, sodium acetate trihydrate, preterm infants, facilitated tucking, neonatal pain management, wearable devices, soft robotics

TL;DR: PCM-based wearable that simulates facilitated tucking for preterm infants, using sodium acetate trihydrate to deliver warmth and containment while reducing reliance on pharmacological pain reduction.

Abstract: Preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit undergo frequent painful procedures, yet consistent non-pharmacological comfort is limited by caregiver availability and infection-control protocols. This work presents a wearable pouch that simulates facilitated tucking using sodium acetate trihydrate as a phase change material (PCM). Fabricated from heat-sealable textiles and scaled to a 32-week preterm infant, the pouch incorporates specific geometry to enable bending and promote arm flexion near the chest. The PCM solidifies releasing latent heat at 54 degrees C, and its range can be tuned to maintain therapeutic warmth when combined with textile insulation. Prototype testing revealed leakage during reheating, highlighting the need for thicker TPU layers and controlled reheating. Future work may incorporate an insulating sleeve integrating shape memory alloys for better replication of facilitated tucking . This approach demonstrates the feasibility of PCM-based devices to provide autonomous thermal and tactile comfort in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Submission Number: 49