For new parents, caring for a newborn can be a daunting challenge. Research has shown that the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is about 0.1 to 1 percent, with the highest prevalence occurring between 2 and 4 months of age. Up until around 12 months of age, babies' bodies are still developing and can typically only express discomfort through crying. The risk of SIDS occurring may be greater if parents are unable to hear or respond to the baby's cries. To help new parents prepare for their parenting journey, they can learn from family members, other parents, or even make use of technology to help them monitor their baby. This, ultimately, is one of the reasons for the rapid development of baby tech.
Baby tech has since evolved from its early days with the introduction of information technology. Previously, parents had limited options for remotely monitoring their baby's well-being during the night, primarily relying on the detection of crying sounds. However, with technological advancements, parents now have the ability to use smartphones to remotely track their child's sleep patterns and movement. Given the rapid development of AI technology, countless manufacturers have recently begun to launch smart AI-powered baby monitors. These devices are advertised as having the ability to detect when a newborn's mouth or nose is covered by clothing or blankets or when a baby rolls over or cries, and will immediately send a notification to parents that their baby needs their care.
According to Brian Lin, CEO of CuboAi, each brand of smart AI-powered baby monitors on the market offers its own unique features. Since consumers' needs will vary, he recommends choosing baby monitors based on their AI detection capabilities, accuracy, and technical support offered by the manufacturer. "It is worth noting," he added, "that smart AI-powered baby monitors are most common in Europe, the U.S., Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Singapore, and other countries due to their higher unit price." These countries are also where most of the major brands of smart baby monitors are produced.
Challenges of Newborn Care Give Birth to World's First Smart AI Baby Monitor
Recognizing that traditional baby monitors cannot solve the many problems of newborn care, a group of tech-savvy parents, AI experts, and pediatricians came together to form CuboAi in 2017. They conducted thorough research of the challenges faced by new parents, aiming to establish a benchmark for the future development of baby monitors. CuboAi started by interviewing and surveying thousands of parents to understand the key challenges in childcare. Through considerable dedication, the world's first baby monitor with AI technology, CuboAi Plus Smart Baby Monitor, was launched. This innovative device prioritizes the safety and peaceful sleep of infants, offering parents peace of mind. It also serves to capture and save precious memories of the children's growth.
The features of the CuboAi Plus Smart Baby Monitor focus on three main areas – safety, sleep, and memories. In addition, the device offers covered-face and rollover detection, danger zone detection, true cry detection, cough detection, and other features. For example, with the true cry detection feature, the AI technology developed by CuboAi can automatically distinguish between ambient noises and cries of the baby. When the baby's cries are detected, parents are immediately notified through the CuboAi App. Furthermore, the product is certified with professional-grade security protection, and equipped with a 1080p HD lens that is twice as sensitive as traditional night vision lenses and displays clear images even at night.
"To further enhance the practicality of the CuboAi Plus Smart Baby Monitor and address the challenges associated with newborn care, we are dedicated to continuously conducting parent interviews. In response to valuable feedback from parents who highlighted doctors' inquiries about the frequency, timing, and duration of their baby's cough during medical visits, we incorporated the world's first cough detection feature into our product," Lin explained, "CuboAi can monitor a baby's coughs throughout the day and proactively send a 20-second video clip of the most recent cough so parents can monitor their baby's health in real time."
CuboAi is actively building an entire product ecosystem in response to the increasingly busy modern parent life. For example, the company has also launched the CuboAi Sleep Sensor Pad, which can be paired with the CuboAi Plus Smart Baby Monitor to detect baby's breathing motion when they're sleeping, helping parents monitor their newborns' sleep with precision and accuracy.
Taiwan's Start-up Environment Gradually Improves, Attracting More Young People to Pursue their Dreams
CuboAi began its journey in 2018 by raising funds on Taiwanese crowdfunding platform, Zeczec. After successfully building brand awareness, the company entered the markets in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Australia the following year. Its products are currently available in 11 countries worldwide, with total sales volume exceeding 100,000 units. The company's four main sources of revenue are the markets in the U.S., Taiwan, Japan, and Australia. Since its establishment, the company has received investment from the National Development Fund and participated in the CES trade show with the help of Taiwan Tech Arena. CuboAi was awarded the CES Innovation Award in 2020 and 2022.
Lin pointed out that in recent years, with the help of the government and corporations, the overall start-up environment in Taiwan has increasingly improved, encouraging more young people to participate. In the past three to four years, Taiwan's start-up landscape predominantly focused on technology-driven ventures, where start-ups emphasized their technological prowess to attract investment companies. However, a noticeable shift has occurred in recent times: an increasing number of start-ups pivot towards presenting innovative ideas and concepts as their primary pitch to secure investments.
CuboAi will continue to improve the AI detection capabilities and accuracy of its products, as well as gather more information about the challenges parents face for future product development in response to the fierce competition in the AI-powered baby monitor industry worldwide. In 2023, CuboAi plans to launch a medical-grade temperature patch specifically designed for babies aged 0 to 36 months. The wearable patch will assist parents in monitoring their babies' health post-vaccination and simultaneously contribute to strengthening CuboAi's brand recognition and market presence in the baby tech industry.
The CuboAi Plus Smart Baby Monitor features an whimsical bird-shaped design. Powered by advanced AI technology, it has the capability to detect potential dangers, such as when the baby’s nose and mouth are covered or when the baby rolls over, sending early warnings to parents.
Photo: Company
The CuboAi team developed the CuboAi Sleep Sensor Pad, which can be placed under the mattress and paired with the CuboAi Plus Smart Baby Monitor to detect baby’s breathing motion while they sleep, providing parents with a more worry-free and comprehensive parenting experience.
Photo: Company