$2m helps put babies into pods

Lady Anna Avery (left), MC Stacey Morrison and Sir Ray Avery at the launch of the fundraiser for the Life Pod (right) last night. Picture / Jason Oxenham

Sir Ray Avery's revolutionary baby incubator has been designed with the best of Kiwi ingenuity, the Auckland scientist and inventor says.

His charity Medicine Mondiale has started a $2 million global fundraising appeal to get the Life Pod device into production for Third World hospitals to save the lives of thousands of premature or sick newborn babies.

Sir Ray credits designers' donations of their time and "lean manufacturing" principles for keeping the price down. He anticipates the incubators, to be made by a joint venture partner in India, will cost around $2500, compared with more than $40,000 for currently available models.

Sir Ray Avery.

An example of the savings that had been achieved was in the mechanism to lift the Life Pod's curved plastic lid. It was originally going to cost $400 to $500, but an Auckland designer came up with a $17 alternative.

The Life Pod is also egg-shaped rather than rectangular. Sir Ray said the shape was one of its great advantages. It meant the air circulated more efficiently, allowing a uniform temperature to be maintained with less energy. When the lid was lifted partially, for healthcare tasks, a curtain of internal air was maintained so the baby was not exposed to the external environment.

The $2 million is to get the project to the production stage by financing the work to obtain medical-device certification from the ISO. Sir Ray said this involved making several production-scale batches of the Life Pod.

Simple, low-cost lifesaver

What is an incubator?
A clear plastic cot with a heater to keep the baby at a stable, warm temperature and a humidifier to help the lungs and skin. It is enclosed and uses air filters.
How much is the Life Pod expected to cost?
Around $2534.

How much do incubators typically cost?
Around $44,355.

Why is Sir Ray Avery's Life Pod so much cheaper?
Sir Ray says it is because of the ingenuity of its designers, their commitment to finding simple, low-cost solutions, and the donation of people's time to the project.

When will it go into production?
About 18 months after the fundraising campaign reaches its target of $2 million.

Why does a newborn baby need to be in an incubator?
Usually because of being born prematurely, under-sized, or sick.

How to contribute
• www.mondialelifepod.com
• Text HEART 2454 to donate $3.