Universidad Panamericana been granted a patent for an innovative , lightweight, durable, and portable childbirth stretcher designed to provide maternal and infant care in vulnerable communities, particularly in the Lacandon Jungle in Chiapas.
What is the “Camila Julieta”?
Developed by Dr. Fabiola Cortés Chávez, a researcher at the Design and Innovation Academy of the Faculty of Engineering, in collaboration with a team of students—including Julieta Ramírez Reynoso (after whom the stretcher is named), Grecia Alejandra Chavira Hernández, Mariana Ascencio Murillo, Mariana Díaz Pinal, and Carlos Raymundo Garnier Ortiz—the Camila Julieta emerged from a process of continuous improvement.
Out of nine prototypes, six were selected to participate in the Diseña México Festival, standing out for their functional approach and strong human focus.
The patent was granted on June 25, a symbolic and meaningful date that also marks Julieta’s birthday.
Innovation with a Human Focus in Medical Design
Drawing on her doctoral thesis, Dr. Cortés Chávez identified shortcomings in medical device design processes, specifically the failure to account for hierarchies and user movements.
Her methodological approach focuses on identifying all stakeholders in a medical setting, designing use cases, and defining specific functions for each user. In her Engineering in Innovation and Design course, she guided groups of 40–50 students in designing stretchers for various contexts. Julieta’s team focused on natural childbirth in indigenous communities, resulting in a socially sensitive design.
From Competition to Patent: Challenges and Community Validation
Although the idea originated in 2021, obtaining the patent took more than three years of hard work with the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI). The participation of indigenous communities in Chiapas, through an association led by Julieta’s father, was key.
The Madre Tierra community network in San Cristóbal de las Casas validated the prototype in the field and proposed improvements, which were incorporated into a second version focused on utility models.
The Future of the Camila Julieta: Expansion and Prototypes
Now that the patent has been granted, the goal is to bring the design to more communities, potentially through an open-source model that allows them to build their own stretchers using locally available materials.
A second version, made entirely of stainless steel, is being developed for clinics. “Many mothers still arrive in labor under emergency conditions, without enough time to reach a proper delivery room,” said Dr. Cortés.
This upgraded stretcher is already in the advanced prototype phase, with plans for both online sales and distribution to clinics and underserved communities.
Social Innovation from the Universidad Panamericana
The Camila Julieta symbolizes UP’s commitment to medical innovation with a social impact. By placing people and vulnerable communities at the center of its design process, the university positions itself at the forefront of humanistic technological development in Mexico.
Learn more about UP research: https://www.up.edu.mx/investigacion-noticias/
