Co-sleeper innovation to provide options for new parents

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Co-sleeping, or the sharing of a sleeping space by a mother and baby, can provide better sleep for baby and mom, easier breast feeding and closeness that encourages proper breathing and psychological development in a baby.

The fear of sudden infant death syndrome has led many mothers to turn away from co-sleeping. SIDS is the unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a baby.

A student innovator at Purdue University has created a co-sleeper solution called Baby-By. The device is an all-in-one co-sleeper unit to provide a safe and comfortable sleeping environment for a baby. It also can be used as a breast-feeding pillow, anti-roll ring and play mat.

“I believe that being a parent is one of the hardest and most important jobs that there is, and that being well rested is so important for moms and dads,” said Avery Saylor, an alumna of industrial design from Purdue’s College of Liberal Arts. “It was really important to me that this product not only was very safe to protect what is most important to parents but also that it had multifunctional aspects.”

Saylor worked with the Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization to patent this technology.

Saylor created the device as part of a senior thesis project. She worked with Purdue’s Ben and Maxine Miller Child Development Laboratory School. A video about the device is available at https://youtu.be/QrOdotcOC00.

“I became interested in this topic for my senior thesis when I found out my sister was co-sleeping with my nephew,” Saylor said. “Co-sleeping was something I had thought of as dangerous. Once I started my research, I saw all of the amazing benefits that came with it.”

The innovator and OTC are looking for partners to continue developing their technology. For more information on licensing and other opportunities, contact Matt Halladay of OTC at mrhalladay@prf.org and mention track code 68943.

About Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization

The Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization operates one of the most comprehensive technology transfer programs among leading research universities in the U.S. Services provided by this office support the economic development initiatives of Purdue University and benefit the university's academic activities through commercializing, licensing and protecting Purdue intellectual property. The office recently moved into the Convergence Center for Innovation and Collaboration in Discovery Park District, adjacent to the Purdue campus. In fiscal year 2020, the office reported 148 deals finalized with 225 technologies signed, 408 disclosures received and 180 issued U.S. patents. The office is managed by the Purdue Research Foundation, which received the 2019 Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Award for Place from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. In 2020, IPWatchdog Institute ranked Purdue third nationally in startup creation and in the top 20 for patents. The Purdue Research Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation created to advance the mission of Purdue University. Contact otcip@prf.org for more information.      

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to today’s toughest challenges. Ranked the No. 6 Most Innovative University in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at purdue.edu.

Writer: Chris Adam, cladam@prf.org 

Source: Avery Saylor, averyjo97@gmail.com