Vibration isolation in neonatal transportation systems using a resilient biasing device

The impact of vibration on neonatal health and wellbeing during transport has been a significant concern, necessitating the development of vibration isolation systems. Variations in road conditions, driving styles, and ambulance types contribute to the complexity of mitigating vibrations during neonatal transport. Current isolation methods include suspension systems, damping systems, and mattress selections. However, ongoing research and innovation in vibration mitigation technologies are crucial to ensure the health and safety of neonatal patients during transport. This paper introduces a newly invented and patented resilient biasing device capable of storing elastic energy (Afazov, Mansfield et al., 2023) and effectively isolating vibrations. This study investigates the vibration isolation capability of this device and explores its potential application in neonatal transport systems using an experimental system and modelling. Both experimental and finite element analyses results demonstrated that the resilient biasing device can effectively isolate vibrations. Comparative analyses of predicted transmissibility between the resilient biasing device and a helical spring revealed that the resilient biasing device exhibits lower vibration transmissibility values in the transverse and longitudinal directions while maintaining similar performance in the vertical direction.