Redefining infant safety: Visionary research targets sudden infant death risks

The following research highlight is a feature story in the College of Engineering's 2024 Impact Report.

In 2021, Kids in Danger, an organization that advocates for product safety for children presented Erin Mannen the Best Friend Award for her groundbreaking infant product research that led to policy changes and recalls recommended by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Now, the associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering is spearheading a transformative study on sudden unexpected infant death. The research, supported by a $2.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, seeks to protect thousands of more infants by identifying how biomechanical factors such as body position, feeding, and infant product design features influence infant respiration and suffocation risks.

This innovative project could revolutionize the infant product industry, inspire new lines of research, and shape the next generation of Boise State engineers.

Addressing a Critical Need

Sudden unexpected infant death and sudden infant death syndrome, more commonly known as SUID or SIDS, is the leading cause of mortality in infants aged 1-12 months, often occurring in unsafe sleep environments or within products not designed for sleep. Yet, as Mannen notes, the role of biomechanics in these tragedies has been vastly understudied.

"Our research takes a unique perspective by looking at biomechanical risk factors that have never been examined using modern technology," Mannen said. "We want to understand how variables like body position, feeding practices, and harness design might influence an infant's ability to breathe."

Mannen's passion for this field is personal. As a mother, she recalls searching for infant products designed with biomechanical safety in mind, only to discover a significant gap in the literature. "I realized there was a lack of data-driven guidance for parents, clinicians, and manufacturers, which inspired me to dedicate my career to this work."

Transforming the Infant Product Industry

The study's findings could disrupt the infant product industry in a positive way. By providing evidence-based data on how product design affects breathing biomechanics, the research aims to inform manufacturers and regulatory bodies.

"Our data could lead to safer infant product designs by demonstrating how common features, such as the angle of an inclined product or the tightness of a harness, affect respiratory outcomes," Mannen said.

Workshops and partnerships with industry stakeholders are already planned to ensure the research reaches the people who can use it most effectively. "We hope to see our work influence product standards and designs in the next decade," she said. "Imagine a product that relies on our research, explicitly designed to mitigate respiratory risks. That's the future we're working toward."

Advancing Research and Public Understanding

Beyond its immediate goals, the study also addresses widespread misconceptions about SUID and SIDS. "The public often views SUID as a mysterious, unpreventable phenomenon," Mannen said. "Recent research, however, has shown that environmental factors, including sleep environments, play a significant role."

This project's integration of biomechanics and respiratory science could establish new research paradigms. For instance, it will use technologies such as motion capture cameras, respiratory monitors, and electromyography to quantify how factors like head and neck flexion or abdominal compression affect breathing. Computational modeling will complement these experimental methods, providing detailed simulations of infant respiratory mechanics under various conditions.

"The biomechanical methodologies we're employing have not been used to study this tragic problem," she said. "This research design allows us to control experiments in a way that retrospective studies of SUID cases cannot, offering insights that could redefine how we think about infant safety."

Fostering the Next Generation of Engineers

Mannen's work in the Boise Applied Biomechanics of Infants (BABI) Lab is also a testament to Boise State's commitment to experiential learning. Students in her lab are gaining hands-on experience with state-of-the-art equipment and collaborating on high-impact research.

"The ultimate goal is saving babies' lives, but another critical aspect is inspiring our students," Mannen said. "When they meet families affected by SUID or see our work highlighted in government documents and safety standards, it shows them the profound impact their engineering skills can have."

She emphasizes the unique challenges and rewards of studying infant biomechanics. "Babies can't follow instructions, so every experiment requires meticulous planning and adaptation. But seeing our students overcome these challenges and produce meaningful results is incredibly fulfilling."

Mannen believes the study's interdisciplinary nature enriches the student experience. With collaborators from the Arkansas Children's Research Institute and industry consultants, students are exposed to diverse perspectives, from clinical insights to the regulatory landscape of product design.

A Vision for the Future

Mannen envisions a future where the study's findings not only save lives but also catalyze broader changes in the infant care landscape.

"This research could lay the foundation for a biomechanics-based understanding of infant respiration, influencing everything from product development to caregiving practices," Mannen said. "We're building the knowledge base that manufacturers, policymakers, and clinicians need to make informed decisions."

Ultimately, Mannen hopes her work will inspire systemic change. "If, 10 years from now, there are safer products on the market or new standards in place because of our research, we'll know we've made a difference."

Her dedication to bridging engineering research with real-world applications exemplifies the transformative potential of Boise State's College of Engineering. By tackling one of the most complex and heartbreaking challenges in infant health, Mannen and her team are shaping a safer future for the youngest and most vulnerable members of society.

Call For Participation

The BABI Lab research team will begin recruiting participants for the upcoming study in January 2025. For more information about the study and if you are interested in your infant participating in it, please email the research group at [email protected].

-written by Jamie Fink

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