Hi-tech device to tackle cot death

PARENTS could soon get updates on their baby’s breathing and heart rate sent straight to their smartphone.

Scientists have used wonder material graphene in the fight against cot death to develop a £10 wearable sensor which tracks infants’ vital signs as they sleep.

Dr Matthew Large, of the University of Sussex, said: ‘We are looking to bring peace of mind to parents.’

The 5cm by 1cm device can be sewn into a baby’s pyjamas, the scientific journal Nanoscale reports.

The graphene in the sensor forms a shell around water droplets mixed with oil. A current conducted by the graphene ‘hops’ between the droplets, but this happens less easily when the device is stretched – by the baby’s breathing or heart rate. Parents are alerted on their phones if their newborn struggles to breathe or their heart rate plummets.

The scientists expect the gadget to be on sale within two years for about £10.