The usual incubator, a neonatal care product for premature babies requires a closed environment with limited accessibility so as to maintain desired temperature, but limits ease of accessibility to the neonatal staff. This was a major constraint while suggesting the design, as was ease of cleaning the incubator. The primary user identified was the nurse and her ease of usability was important.

The diploma project concentrated upon redefining the concept of the incubator considering recent developments in technology. The complexity of the usability issues dictated the constraints and a trade-off was required amongst many of them.

My proposed solution considered the Indian anthropometric dimension of short nurses and tall doctors. The solution was an attempt to minimise the clutter around the infant care system. The touch screen interface over a small region required organising the complex information in an easy to interpret way. Apart from physical interface with the product, users also interacted with the display and control of the incubator. The placement of the display and control, the visibility of the parameters and its interference (eg. alarm sound) with other elements (babies, other incubators/warmers) of the NICU were also considered in the design process. At a cybernetic interface level, the baby also communicates with the doctors and nurses through physiological parameters. These parameters are sensed through the sensor and transducer is used to assess them. The usability of the product with significant control parameters in a small space shall determine the usability up to a great extent.