New Technology for Keeping an Eye on Your Baby Anywhere

Obie Editorial Team

When my nieces were born, my sisters bought the usual technology to keep an eye on them from the other room. This included the typical baby monitors that allowed them to hear in they were crying or getting fussy. However, some parents today aren’t content with just hearing their baby in the next room. They want to keep an eye on them from anywhere so they can ensure their baby is safe even when they’re not making a sound.

Several families in the Boston area are beta testing the latest in baby monitoring technology. This tech involves a onesie outfitted with physiological sensors. These sensors collect data about an infant’s breathing, skin temperature, wake and sleep times, and body position. Once it does this, the info is relayed to a parent’s smartphone.

The most amazing part may be that there is no maximum distance range. Your baby could be in the next room or halfway across the world and the sensor will still pick up their data. This devise is manufactured by Rest Devices and My Sensible Baby, both companies in the Boston area. The monitors could hit the market as soon as next year and are priced at about $150 to $200.

The makers say that as sensor technology and wireless communication advances and is able to fit into smaller and smaller devices, companies around the world are able to utilize the technology in new and creative ways. This particular device is made using a 3-D printer. The small turtle-shaped unit is all that is needed to hold the sensors and is small enough to be comfortable, but not small enough to be a choking hazard. It clips onto the hip of the provided onesie. Along with three cotton onesies and the clip-on unit, a base station is also provided.

The data collected from your infant is sent to the base station and then to your home’s Wi-Fi network before being transferred to the internet where it will then be forwarded to your Smartphone. The base station is also equipped with a microphone for relaying live audio.

There have been some concern from parents about privacy issues and encouraging anxious behavior, but Best Devices has already collected $35,000 pre-orders through crowdfunding. Also, the small company has raised over $1.2 million through investors and is on the verge of announcing a partnership with a major retail company.

Kirsner, S. (2013, November 24). Monitors keep a long-distance eye on baby. The Boston Globe.