Bioforge Health Systems

Solution Overview & Benefits
Bioforge’s neonatal incubator is a portable, low-cost device built using 3D printing, laser-cut acrylic, and simple sensors. Designed for rural hospitals and refugee camps.
It replicates the core functions of high-end incubators—temperature control, humidity regulation, body sensors, tilting bed, and built-in phototherapy—using local materials and minimal electronics. The incubator can be assembled quickly, transported easily, and serviced locally, helping to expand access to neonatal care where traditional incubators are unavailable or unaffordable.
Benefits:
- Affordable design: roughly ¼ the cost of conventional incubators
- Portable and modular: can be disassembled and shipped to remote or crisis areas
- Uses basic tools and widely available components—easy to repair or replicate locally
- Includes heating pad, temperature sensors, humidity monitoring, body sensors, and bed tilting mechanism
- Reduces neonatal mortality: aims to cut avoidable newborn deaths by one‑third in Bangladesh over five years, potentially saving over 20,000 lives annually
- Suitable for clinics without trained incubator operators
History & Development
Bioforge Health Systems, founded in Dhaka, Bangladesh, developed the incubator under the leadership of Dr. Dewan A.F.K. Choudhury and Ju‑un Nahar. Recognized in the MIT Solve Maternal & Newborn Health Challenge in 2020, supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the design evolved through iterative prototyping with laser-cut and 3D‑printed parts and standard electronics. A working prototype has been built and reassembled multiple times for testing, and Bioforge continues to refine it toward clinical trials and pilot deployment in rural hospitals and refugee camps.
Availability
- Available: India (prototype and pre-commercialization phase)
- Price: contact solution provider (to be supplied via health NGOs, clinics, and partnerships: ~USD 93.60 in raw materials)
Specifications
- Materials: Transparent and white acrylic, plastic, magnets, screws/nuts
- Fabrication: Laser-cut and 3D‑printed components; designed for local manufacture
- Features:
- Tilt‑adjustable bed with actuator
- Temperature and humidity sensors
- Heating pad and bed‑heat sensors
- Body vitals sensing (e.g. heart rate)
- Pass-through hatches for access without opening full door
- Assembly: Modular design; quick to assemble/disassemble
- Operation: Does not require highly skilled operators; maintenance can be handled locally
- Utility: Built in phototherapy functionality for jaundice treatment
Additional Information
- Bioforge integrates hardware and software innovation to develop low-cost, high-impact medical devices for underserved regions in Bangladesh and beyond.
- The incubator is recognized globally and backed by awards and partnerships—MIT Solve, the Gates Foundation, and presentations at the Geneva Health Forum 2022.
- Their model supports open access: users can build their own unit using shared design files and documentation where safe and appropriate.
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