BabyDevLab, University of East London

Harkwood Services was commissioned by the BabyDevLab at the University of East London to develop a pioneering wearable device system for child development research, creating technology capable of monitoring natural interactions between infants and care givers.

The Challenge

We designed a comprehensive monitoring solution that is suitable for infants as young as 2 months and captures synchronised physiological and behavioural data across multiple participants. The system needed to be unobtrusive, safe for infant use, and capable of extended operation in real-world research environments.

Our Solution

We developed a complete custom wearable system featuring:

Comprehensive Multi-Sensor Platform

Real-time ECG monitoring for cardiovascular data
Actigraph sensors for movement and activity tracking
Tilt sensors for posture and orientation analysis
High-precision GPS positioning for location tracking
Advanced proximity sensing with high accuracy to paired devices
Continuous audio recording for interaction analysis

Research-Grade Performance

Synchronized time-correlated data collection across all sensors
Extended 12+ hour operation on single charge for full-day studies
Configurable operation via simple text file editing
Robust performance suitable for infant participants (2+ months)

Flexible Deployment Options

Paired operation for parent-child dyads
Scalable to teacher-multiple student configurations
Adaptable for various research scenarios and participant combinations

Our Role

Complete Product Development Full custom hardware design, embedded firmware development, and manufacturing coordination—delivering a turnkey solution from initial concept through to deployment-ready devices.

Specialised Engineering We are creating infant-safe wearable technology that meets rigorous research standards while ensuring ease of use for researchers and comfort for participants.