Baby monitor
A baby monitor or baby monitor is a device that can be monitored acoustically with the babies and toddlers. It is usually made of a transmitter with a microphone picks up the sounds in the nursery and transmits to a mobile receiver using wireless technology. This outputs the sound through a speaker so that parents or other guardians to respond. There are also devices that are used for the transmission of signals no radio waves, but the power supply (see House - carrier frequency system ).
Application
The main application is to monitor from another room to sleep of babies and children and to hear her crying immediately. For a night guard does not have to monitor multiple recipients permanently in homes and other institutions, there are so-called central baby monitor systems. Such a system can monitor multiple rooms and are centrally controlled by a computer.
In general, baby monitors show the noise intensity in the nursery also visually, such as by a series of light emitting diodes ( LEDs). This allows monitoring even in noisy environments, such as when watching television or listening to music. Even parents with hearing impairment benefit. For them, there are also baby monitors with a vibration alarm.
Simple Baby Monitors are unidirectional, that is, the device sends to the bed of the child, receives the Parent unit.
To prolong the battery lifetime and the reduction of "electrosmog" send baby monitors usually noise activated ( switch-on ), so switch on only if a certain noise level. In many models a continuously transmitted pilot signal for reduced interference and provides permits to detect leaving the reception range. The electro-smog is controversial, however, according to current scientific knowledge harmless.
Technical Details
Conventional analog baby monitors have only a few possible channels (1 to 8) and can therefore interfere with other devices as well - be heard from the outside - as unencrypted. Often one also receives the signals from the neighbors. The voice quality is sometimes very bad.
Digital Baby Monitors based on DECT technology (such as digital cordless phones ) have a very good voice quality and are largely interference or eavesdropping.
Some baby monitors allow bidirectional use, so speaking to the baby. Even baby monitors with camera are available, the receiving part has either a small screen, or can be connected to the TV.
Meanwhile converted PMR radios with room monitor are available. These have one hand a very good range ( in km range) and the other hand full radios that allow an alternative use as a walkie-talkie. The connection can be tested by pressing a button on the parent device. A pilot tone is unnecessary thereby, but is still occasionally used for improved fault safety.
Especially for children with a particular risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is present, there are also baby monitors with motion sensor, which sound the alarm in the absence of breathing movements. Several epidemiological studies but could not provide any evidence that can be influenced by monitoring the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome. Therefore, the American Academy of Pediatrics is also the clear recommendation that cardiorespiratory monitors should not be prescribed for the prevention of sudden infant death syndrome.