CradleCoach: a smartphone and stuffed animal-based system for teaching neonate holding based on midwife-inspired motions

Inappropriate holding postures and motions can negatively affect the formation of attachment, which is the bonding between caregivers and children, and can cause head injuries. Therefore, first-time caregivers need to learn appropriate neonate holding. In this study, we propose a smartphone and stuffed animal-based system for teaching neonates holding. The system trains the appropriate inclination angle, adduction angle, and acceleration value based on the holding motions observed in 15 midwives. The user attaches a smartphone to a stuffed animal and practices the motions with it. Then the system evaluates its movements and gives real-time feedback. We conducted a user study (N = 42) to evaluate the effectiveness of this system. We found that the system was effective in learning the inclination angle.