Wires and cables tether babies in neonatal intensive care to monitoring equipment, physically separating them from their parents. The Neonatal Wireless Transmission System (NeWTS) replaces those wires with a modular wireless platform that tracks temperature, heart activity, breathing rate, and oxygen saturation, sending data to standard monitors and electronic medical records. This matters because wired systems create a barrier to parent-infant contact during a critical developmental window, and evidence shows that barrier reduces breastfeeding rates, lengthens hospital stays, and harms neurodevelopmental outcomes and maternal mental health. If successful, NeWTS would let parents hold their babies continuously without disconnecting monitors, potentially improving those outcomes while cutting costs. The system integrates with existing NHS equipment to avoid obsolescence and supports NHS Net Zero goals. The team has already tested the proof-of-concept in 34 NICU patients and secured development funding. This grant would support clinical implementation across five diverse NICUs, develop a business case for NICE approval, and create marketing materials, with a co-production advisory board including parents, clinicians, and engineers.
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Continuous physiological monitoring is critical for managing babies in neonatal intensive care (NICU). However, conventional wired monitoring systems create a physical and psychological barrier preventing parent-infant physical contact during this critical developmental window. Evidence shows that this impacts on breastfeeding rates, length of stay, and neurodevelopmental outcomes and maternal mental health(CORE20plus5). Innovation and Design To address this challenge the Neonatal Wireless Transmission System (NeWTS) is a modular, wireless platform for monitoring vital signs: temperature, electrocardiogram (ECG), respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation. It functions as a wireless bridge between sensors and standard monitors. The proof-of-concept was tested in 34 NICU patients, and the project has secured funding for development to meet regulatory standards. By integrating with existing equipment and electronic medical records (EMRs), it supports NHS Net Zero goals (avoiding obsolescence). Improving quality of care whilst reducing costs. Our application to THRIVE aims to support us in our next step of clinical implementation. We hope that the THRIVE programme will provide education and training to support commercialisation alongside the following work packages on clinical implementation. WP1: Clinical Engagement with early adopters will gather real-world feedback from five diverse NICUs to understand local barriers to adoption. WP2: Commercial Business Case (Health Innovation East) Evidence Review and Gap Analysis will guide the necessary data collection to support the value proposition in the path for NICE approval. Business Case Development includes stakeholder workshop with NHS clinicians and commissioners to validate need, align with NICE guidance, and develop a scalable NHS business case. Social Impact and Sustainability focuses on compliance with the NHS Evergreen Sustainable Supplier Framework and integrates benchmarking against the Social Impact and Improvement Model (SIIM). Market Access and Procurement outlines pathways across local, regional, and national frameworks, ensuring readiness for various NHS purchasing models WP3: Branding and Marketing will allow us to access marketing and creative expertise to create marketing materials for media communication. Equity and Impact: NeWTS specifically addresses the unmet needs of preterm infants, a population often excluded from medical innovations due to commercial perceptions of high-risk low reward. Babies and families from disadvantaged and minority backgrounds, are overrepresented in NICU, and will gain in terms of both physical and psychological health. Dissemination and Stakeholder Engagement Our co-production model includes a cross-sector advisory board comprising parents, clinicians, engineers, and industry experts. Dissemination will span academic channels and public engagement (supported by BLISS). Project Management and Commercialisation The core management team—(clinical, technical, and project management)—is supported by Cambridge Enterprise, guiding intellectual property protection. A patent has been filed and a freedom-to-operate analysis completed. The team would greatly value the opportunity in THRIVE to understand better the next steps in route to market. Conclusion The THRIVE programme would build expertise in a team committed to medtech development and addressing inequality of access to innovations in care for children.
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