Design agency Tangerine worked with British start-up Bluebell to develop a smart monitor, which uses a device attached to the baby’s clothing to send alerts to parents through a wearable wristband and app.
Bluebell approached the London-based studio to help it create and market a system that makes it more straightforward for parents to improve their baby’s routines and sleeping patterns.
Bluebell’s family of connected products comprises a baby monitor, parent wristband, smart hub and app.
These devices allow parents to remotely monitor their baby’s activity and wellbeing, and alerts them to any changes requiring their attention.
The start-up’s three co-founders are all healthcare professionals, as well as fathers.
Not satisfied with the level of support for parents provided by existing baby monitors, they set about developing a technologically advanced but easy-to-use solution.
“Tangerine’s challenge was to help the fledgling start-up turn their high-tech idea into a tangible format, a brand and complete customer experience,” explained Tangerine.
“This was achieved through the design of a family of IoT [internet of things] products and the creation of a brand proposition with assets that would help to successfully commercialise Bluebell.”
Bluebell is longlisted in the wearable design category of the Dezeen Awards 2019, alongside a self-heating smart jacket that responds to changes in temperature and a cordless breast pump that can be worn and used inconspicuously.
The baby monitor attaches to the baby’s clothing and measures its breathing rate, temperature, position, amount of sleep, and activity.
This information is then communicated in a reassuring format to the parents through the wristband and mobile app.
Tangerine worked on creating hardware and software that makes the system straightforward and intuitive to use. It uses icons, colours and vibrations to provide alerts and updates on how the baby is feeling.
The Parent Wristband vibrates and provides visual alerts to indicate any action required. The information is mirrored in the app.
The wearable device also tracks the parent’s sleep patterns and step count, as well as allowing them to input details of feeds, nappy changes and their own mood throughout the day.
This information makes it possible to build a holistic overview of behaviour that can be helpful in developing a consistent and healthy routine for both baby and parent.
“Over time the Bluebell system builds a unique picture of baby’s history as well as the parent’s wellbeing, which can be reviewed on the Bluebell App,” the designers added.
“It is the only wearable system that monitors two related subjects – baby and parent – with joint analysis and interpretation data to understand how family wellbeing and routine can be improved.”
A Smart Hub placed in the baby’s room is used for charging the wearable devices, monitoring the room’s temperature and remotely playing lullabies or white noise at bedtime.
The wirelessly controlled hub also incorporates a nightlight, as well as a microphone and speaker that allow parents to listen or talk to their baby.
Tangerine worked on all of the brand’s communication material to build a consistent identity that focuses on the key messages of care, connectedness, guidance and routine.
These values are expressed in a playful way that makes the high-tech system feel accessible, friendly and in line with other nursery products on the market.
Bluebell reinvents the baby monitor with wearable devices for babies and parents [Dezeen]