Name: A warm embrace that saves lives
Uploaded: 2010-01-28T09:07:00Z
Duration: 4 min 29 s
Description: In the developing world, access to incubators is limited by cost and distance, and millions of premature babies die each year. TED Fellow Jane Chen shows an invention that could keep millions of these infants warm -- a design that's safe, portable, low-cost and life-saving.

In the developing world, access to incubators is limited by cost and distance, and millions of premature babies die each year. TED Fellow Jane Chen shows an invention that could keep millions of these infants warm -- a design that's safe, portable, low-cost and life-saving.

A warm embrace that saves lives

Each year, 20 million premature babies are born worldwide, and four million will not survive their first weeks. Many die or suffer lifelong health problems simply because they cannot stay warm, especially in places lacking costly incubators. A low-cost, electricity-free infant warmer—resembling a small sleeping bag with a special wax pouch—keeps babies at the right temperature for hours. By meeting real needs with simple design, this innovation offers hope for families far from hospitals.