Smart pacifiers made for NICU babies could mean fewer blood draws, researchers say

After testing the pacifier with newborns in a hospital setting, researchers compared the data to data collected using blood draws, the study says. Researchers found the data from the two methods were comparable. — Photo by Hush Naidoo Jade Photography on Unsplash

The development of a new smart pacifier could mean fewer blood draws for babies in neonatal intensive care units, according to a new study.

The pacifier, created by Washington State University researchers, wirelessly monitors electrolyte levels of NICU babies, according to a study published in the journal Biosensors And Bioelectronics.