The Challenge
India accounts for nearly 40% of low-birth-weight babies in developing countries1, and approximately 75% of neonatal deaths in the country occur during the first week of life2.
While the Home-Based Newborn Care (HBNC) program under the National Health Mission (NHM) mandates scheduled home visits by frontline health workers (FLWs) to monitor newborn growth, delivering postnatal care comes with real challenges: long hours on foot, difficult terrain, and the physical strain of carrying equipment like weighing scales, infantometers, and measuring tapes.
Our AI Solution
Shishu Maapan is an AI-powered Newborn Anthropometry (NBA) solution that enables FLWs capture newborn measurements using an entry-level smartphone in community settings, for newborns aged 0 to 42 days.
The video-based, easy-to-learn workflow simplifies conventional protocols, supports accurate, digitized newborn records in real time, and helps health workers and systems make timely referrals and corrective actions.
How it works
01
Video capture
an FLW captures a short 10–15 second video of the newborn on a flat surface with a wooden ruler for measurement reference; the tool works offline for low-connectivity and remote areas. AI analysis: a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) extracts and analyzes key anthropometric measurements from the video in real time.
Video capture
an FLW captures a short 10–15 second video of the newborn on a flat surface with a wooden ruler for measurement reference; the tool works offline for low-connectivity and remote areas. AI analysis: a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) extracts and analyzes key anthropometric measurements from the video in real time.
AI analysis
a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) extracts and analyzes key anthropometric measurements from the video in real time.
AI analysis
a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) extracts and analyzes key anthropometric measurements from the video in real time.
03
Anthropometric measurements
using a multi-task learning framework, the solution calculates weight, length, head circumference, mid-upper arm circumference, and chest circumference.
Anthropometric measurements
using a multi-task learning framework, the solution calculates weight, length, head circumference, mid-upper arm circumference, and chest circumference.
04
Data integration
public health administrators access the measurements through dashboards for real-time monitoring and corrective action.
Data integration
public health administrators access the measurements through dashboards for real-time monitoring and corrective action.
Where It's Deployed
Deployed across the Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu (DNH & DD)
Impact
By digitizing the process, Shishu Maapan strengthens proactive care and builds a more responsive and efficient postnatal care system, enabling prompt, accurate measurements at home, minimizing physical contact, reducing reliance on heavy equipment, and safeguarding privacy (videos used for measurement are not stored on the FLW’s device).
Shishu Maapan was awarded Best Paper at the 7th International Workshop on Computer Vision for Physiological Measurement (CVPM) 2024, and Silver in the “Health & Sanitation” category at the Mint Tech4Good Awards, November 2024.
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