Title	Smart textiles integrated pumping bra
Authors	Ge, Lan Co, Dominic Kwan, Isaac Mamoon, Lamia Young, Katherine Zimmermann, Leandra
Advisors	Tan, Jeanne
Degree	Postgraduate
Issue Date	2017
Absctract	For women, there is no physical or emotional life transition larger than becoming a new mother. New mothers often suffer from social isolation, elevated stress, and physical exhaustion. Women are recommended to breastfeed their babies until the age of one, but only 25% of women actually do so. Over half of breastfeeding mothers can’t produce enough milk, experience significant pain while pumping, or even contract severe infections from clogged ducts. Managing this process is constantly on a mother’s mind and is one of the biggest contributors to postpartum depression. The smart pumping bra is developed to help women better navigate the breastfeeding process and alleviate concerns around pumping quantity, pain and infections. By integrating heating textiles woven with conductive yarns, the smart bra adds warmth to increase circulation and facilitate milk let down. The smart pumping bra also enhances comfort and prevents clogged ducts and infections through vibration by embedding motor chips into the textiles. The smart pumping bra can be remotely controlled through an app which sends timers and reminders for pumping sessions, providing insights on breastfeeding. Through the smart pumping bra, it is hoped that mothers will experience more physical comfort and reduced stress around the breast pumping process. The major benefit is to provide mothers with the peace of mind and confidence that they are successfully doing their best to raise their babies, while ensuring that their physical health is prioritized.
Subjects	Brassieres -- Design Breastfeeding
Award	Audience Choice Award, MIT Entrepreneurship and Maker Skills Integrator Showcase 2018 [International competition]
Publisher	Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Rights	All rights reserved.