The General University Hospital in Prague has introduced a unique premature baby simulator named Paul to optimize the training and education of its staff. This state-of-the-art model, weighing just over one kilogram, enables doctors to refine their skills in neonatal care. On Friday, Paul was officially unveiled in the presence of the Czech Republic’s First Lady, Eva Pavlová.
The premature baby simulator Paul, recently acquired by the General University Hospital in Prague (Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice v Praze), weighs 1,100 grams and measures 35 centimetres—accurately replicating the size of a baby born at 27 weeks of pregnancy. At this stage, the infant’s body is highly vulnerable to life-threatening complications. Paul allows trainee doctors and specialists to practise responding to critical situations where every second matters. Currently, it is the only simulator of its kind available in the Czech Republic.
Premature babies often face serious complications, and some of these can be simulated with Paul. For instance, his skin turns blue in response to a lack of oxygen, mimicking a real-life baby. He also features an anatomically precise 3D-printed larynx, enabling the accurate practice of intubation.
Paul’s chest moves in sync with his breathing and heartbeat. He can cry and produce grunting sounds, and his pulse can be felt on the umbilical cord as well as all four limbs. Additionally, breathing, heart, lung, and bowel sounds can be monitored with a stethoscope.
‘This is a fantastic opportunity for us to teach young doctors, nurses, and medical students about neonatal care without the risk of harming a live patient,’ said Tereza Lamberská, a doctor in the neonatology department at the General University Hospital in Prague, in an interview with the news portal Novinky.cz. She added that training with Paul covers scenarios in both the delivery room and intensive neonatal care, making the simulator particularly special.
What sets Paul apart as an innovative tool is his integration with a monitoring system that displays real-time 3D animations of procedures. This allows precise monitoring of actions such as chest compressions, the depth of the intubation tube, the placement of the umbilical vein catheter, and the positioning of the baby’s head.
The Paul premature infant simulator is the product of collaboration between experts in neonatology, training, simulation, technology, software development, and visual effects. The project was spearheaded by Dr. Jens-Christian Schwindt, a neonatologist based in Vienna. Driven by the goal of improving the survival rates of the more than 15 million premature babies born worldwide annually, he founded SIMCharacters in 2012 and launched the Paul project five years later.
In the Czech Republic, approximately 7,200 babies—about 7% of all newborns—are born prematurely each year. The maternity department of the General University Hospital in Prague received the simulator thanks to funding from the organization Nedoklubko.
‘The mannequin alone cost CZK 1.5 million, while the license for the software and other essential components amounted to an additional CZK 3 million,’ explained Petra Kašparová from Nedoklubko to the news portal. She added that donations to support Paul’s ongoing operation are still being collected through darujme.cz.
