Infants in the US spend an average of six hours a day in various infant products, and tragically, dozens of infants lose their lives in these products each year. Infants are particularly vulnerable to the mechanical environments in which they are placed. Products like swings, bouncers, and rockers position babies in ways that can affect breathing by influencing their body posture and how their faces interact with soft materials. These design factors can pose serious risks to normal respiration. In this presentation, we will explore three key biomechanics studies that reveal how design features in infant products impact body position and movement, elucidating biomechanics-related hazards. The ultimate goal of this research is to identify suffocation and asphyxiation risks, paving the way for safer baby products.

1. Recognize the unique biomechanical vulnerabilities of infants and their implications for injury.
2. Identify the biomechanical hazards associated with inclined products and their impact on posture, movement, and injury risk.
3. Examine product design features that pose suffocation hazards and learn how to identify and mitigate these risks.
4. Explore messaging strategies for promoting the safer use of infant seated products.
5. Analyze age-related biomechanical risk factors for positional asphyxiation and the implications for infant product use.