Otter, a newborn warmer by the non-profit Design that Matters and Vietnamese medical device manufacturer MTTS, has been designed to prevent neonatal hypothermia in low-resource hospitals. Otter was developed over an eight-year period in a collaborative process that included neonatologists, infection-control specialists and frontline healthcare workers across Africa and Southeast Asia to address one of the leading causes of newborn mortality - hypothermia. Otter uses conductive warming, in contrast to traditional incubators which circulate heated air, reducing energy consumption while providing consistent warmth through direct contact. Its seamless polycarbonate shell is durable, easy to disinfect and resembles a bassinet to caregivers unrestricted access to the baby during treatment. A clear touchscreen interface minimises training requirements, integrated battery backup keeps the warmer operating through power interruptions or transportation.
Every aspect of the product reflects a deep understanding of its context, a result of it’s in-depth refinement process. Embodying the team's philosophy that medical devices should be "hard to use wrong”, the design is intuitive as it is effective. The project recently received both the 2026 Core77 Design for Social Impact Award and the Autodesk Fusion Prize for its exceptional blend of engineering, human-centred design and manufacturing innovation. The Otter warmer is affordable, easier to clean, intuitive to operate and resilient enough to withstand unreliable electricity, all without compromising clinical performance.
