PreVue Fetal Visualization Device by Melody Shiue

Melody Shiue, an industrial designer of the University of New South Wales has designed a product called, PreVue. It is an e-textile based device that employs latest stretchable display technology over the abdominal region, letting other family members to connect with the fetus in its context. Not only PreVue gives you the chance for interacting and watching the baby’s growth inside, it as well serves as a tool to understand the personality of the baby. You can see the baby rolling, snoozing, yawning and smiling, bringing you closer until the day it finally lies into your arms.

Designer : Melody Shiue

PreVue 4D Ultrasound

PreVue 4D Ultrasound


The product represents design excellence and certainly deserves an Australian Design Award as it paves way for fetal-maternal bonding in order to keep the mothers in an optimistic state of mind. Establishing early bonding essentially sustains the maternal relationship post-birth and helps delivering a healthy child. The father also gets an opportunity to watch the current activity of his child and participate in the process of bonding. The fetus will be able to recognize the mother’s voice by the 18th week. Studies reveal that when mothers sing a specific song throughout pregnancy, they can use the same tune to appease a crying baby. This means, adaptive learning starts effectively in uterus, so mothers can stimulate a mild extent of education to the fetus via music and gently tapping over the belly and watch the responsive expressions as well as reflexes of the fetus through a contextual screen.

PreVue 4D Ultrasound

PreVue 4D Ultrasound

PreVue 4D Ultrasound



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32 thoughts on “PreVue Fetal Visualization Device by Melody Shiue

  1. As cool as this tech is, I have an issue (or more) with it. First, I like to think that what with security cameras everywhere these days, hackers on the internet, people digging through your garbage for old credit cards and Babtists funeral crashers (no offense to all the other Babtists out there) the only place you can truely remain in private would be the womb. I feel for the fetus that'll have its privacy violated all of a sudden (I'm a Caesarean American, and I have been wronged!). I'd bring the abortion debate into this comment, but I ain't in the mood today…

  2. How does this device pull data from inside? In other words, does it use ultrasonography? If so there are health risks (for the baby), aren't there?

    "A study at the Yale School of Medicine found a correlation between prolonged and frequent use of ultrasound and abnormal neuronal migration in mice."
    Ang Jr., ES; Gluncic V, Duque A et al. (2006). "Prenatal exposure to ultrasound waves impacts neuronal migration in mice". Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 103 (34): 12903–10. doi:10.1073/pnas.0605294103. PMC 1538990. PMID 16901978. Retrieved 2008-01-22.

    • There is no scientific evidence confirming that USG is harmful to human cells. USG does not use radiation like X-rays or tomography. MRI is also scientifically harmless. Do not feed dumb mythology.

  3. What would the fetus know of it's privacy being "invaded"? It's living in another human being, relying on that host to keep it "happy" and healthy. At that point in their development, the fetus would not even understand the concept of privacy, yet alone feel "wronged". This isn't some conspiracy to destroy Americans and their rights. It's a way to ward off depression during and postpartum depression after. It's hard on a woman, especially if there are other contributors to her stress level. And as long as a woman is not required to wear one if they are considering an abortion, this, in no one, encroaches on their right to choose. I AM pro choice and still see the definite good in this creative piece of technology.

    • And you are seriously discussing the privacy of a fetus. Moms who breastfeed outside their home should be concerned about the privacy of their babies LOL. I am pretty sure that anyone really concerned about that is completely unaware of what being pregnant is. Never seen a parent worry about such stupidity.

  4. Are you serious?! The "child" doesn't have the capacity at that point in its life to answer such a question! And if it were to be "asked", the fact that this device promotes nurturing and bonding, which leads to extra care and consideration on its behalf, would undoubtedly lead them to agree that such a thing is nothing but good. If there was a device for adults that made it more likely for people to be considerate and appreciate your existence more, wouldn't YOU be all for it? I certainly would! I don't know why I took the time to respond, seeing as the initial statement was absurd and the likelihood that you will derive in comprehension from what it is I said is exceedingly low. The thought that some other poor sap may be dissuaded from that train of thought was inspiring though, knowledge being half the battle and all.

    • Sure, fetus is not able even to understand such a question in the way you and I do. However, my concern is about the respect of a privacy. Would you feel yourself comfortable being observed 24 hours a day? Naked? 🙂

      • My two 18 month old doesn't mind no matter how often I try to get her to keep her clothes on. There really aren't a lot of lives so young who care in the least. Modesty is the sign of maturity and isn't a part of the infant lifestyle, LOL.
        I have suffered from depression because of pregnancy, Badly, and tho I don't think I would have been able to wear this device without feeling weird, if it helps someone else feel less depressed I'm all for it!!!
        Maybe it would work not with ultrasound but with finger pad like sensors that sense the movement of the baby and work out an approximation of how he/she is positioned based on that.

  5. From the looks of it, the mechanism may produce a digital representation of the fetus without constantly subjecting it to ultrasound. When the child moves, that may either activate the ultrasound, it transmitting the movements that way, or perhaps a sensor of some other type picks up the movements and translates it into similar actions without actual exposure. I'm not claiming to know for sure, but that's just a guess. Technology has come so far, so I'm sure there's some way to have accomplished this without such a high risk. There also may be a time limit on how long the mother should wear the belt each round.

  6. Could this technology be used for other purposes? Heart, lung, brain, internal organs in general? Would it work better than x-rays, MRIs and that sort of thing?

  7. I'm skeptical.It's great to monitor the baby, but where is the mystery of it to discover for example if a boy or a girl? And I imagine that this mechanism sends waves and disrupting the fetus.

  8. Great idea! Could be useful in some medical cases for monitoring the fetus developpement but not for the hole pregnency. US may disturb and damage the chld in the mother's woum.
    A study at the Yale School of Medicine found a correlation between prolonged and frequent use of ultrasound and abnormal neuronal migration in mice."
    Ang Jr., ES; Gluncic V, Duque A et al. (2006). "Prenatal exposure to ultrasound waves impacts neuronal migration in mice". Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 103 (34): 12903–10. doi:10.1073/pnas.0605294103. PMC 1538990. PMID 16901978. Retrieved 2008-01-22.

  9. I think this thing is awesome lol. Being 22 weeks pregnant I would LOVE to be able to see what that little guy was doing sometimes. I dont think it is meant to be worn 24/7 but im sure that if was to cause harm to the baby they wouldnt be selling it. I would only use it a couple minutes a day just to chek up on him and be able to SEE his flips when I can feel them would be AMAZING!!!!

  10. Do the fetus know that it´s a shame to be nacked? Is the fetus a sinner having an erection while touching his intime zones? There is the only place where we live withouth behaviours of our religous impregned culture.

  11. 1. There is still no proof of direct correlation between ultrasound and any adverse effects to a fetus. People keep mentioning autism and its association to ultrasound. For one autism has been documented as early as the 1700's when diagnostic ultrasound wasn't even around and most likely has occurred much earlier than the 1700's. Second, Autism is still quite a mystery and the physiological parts of this disease are still poorly understood.

    2. This device would have to use ultrasound due to its size and ultrasound being one of the only imaging modalities used to visually inspect the fetus. MRI has been used, but usually only for research.

    3. You would not get the kind of images they advertise in the pictures above or really good 3D pictures probably 99% of the time. To get good images of a fetus with ultrasound, let alone 3D images, requires perfect angling of the ultrasonic beam and multiple adjustments to different parameters of the image.

    Don't get me wrong, very cool idea, but there just isn't the technology to effectively do what it is advertising. Keep up the good work though!

    • Actually there is plenty of research on the direct correlation between ultrasound and adverse effects to a baby's brain and well as eyes and hearing. A little research will lead you on the right path. This is a very dangerous device for a baby.

  12. Well done Melody Shiue, people like you make it possible to have more and more fun things to explore with, during pregnancy, its a long period of of waiting for your little bundle of joy, and it can drive a person insane, and I take my hat off to those exploring new ideas to keep us pregnant folks busy with, it makes the wait just a little more interesting, as long as it is safe and I am sure it is otherwise it wouldn't be put onto the public market, I am sure if this product is available I will make an effort in to purchasing it, as would other mommies to be! a dopler heart monitor and an ultrasound every four weeks is all we have to look forward to in interacting with our babies your product would certainly make it more entertaining and educational for all family members and increase a more intense bonding experience. AGAIN WELL DONE!!! even though I am only seeing this now 🙂

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