A research team at the Imperial College London have developed a new sensor-based device to display fetal movements and growth in high-risk pregnancies. This is an alternative to the current self-reporting system where the mothers notice changes in fetus movements and seek medical help if needed. But this current method is somewhat inaccurate and either makes mothers anxious or they don’t report the changes to their physicians properly.

Niamh Nowlan from the Imperial College London Department of Bioengineering said, “The movements of a baby in the womb, fetal movements, are an important sign of the baby’s health. However, there is currently no way to monitor fetal movements outside of a hospital.”

This new sensor monitors the baby based on its sounds and movements and can be worn for a longer duration. The system is embedded with acoustic sensors and accelerometers to differentiate the movements between baby and mother.

Nowlan further added, “Our device is the first to use acoustic sensors to detect movements. It is also unique in that it can account for movements of the mother, which other previously proposed sensors cannot. We believe that this is a key aspect of the technology that will lead to successful adoption in the clinic and home.”

The team believes that this wearable will enter the market within ten years.