Bosch launches new technology solution to support nursing mothers

Bosch presents the pilot project Milky Way to the public

The company, part of German engineering-electronics giant Bosch Group, unveiled a solution based on a delivery box, built in response to working mothers’ demands for a secure, convenient, and transparent solution to transport breast milk to their babies after maternity leave.

Adequate breastfeeding practices have numerous benefits, including the potential to prevent over 3,572 child deaths and 3,118 maternal deaths in Vietnam, saving over $1.5 million in treatment costs related to inadequate breastfeeding, and generating an additional $1.8 billion for the economy.

With Milky Way, working mothers who are still nursing are able to schedule breast milk deliveries from their workplace to caregivers through an app.

Guru Mallikarjuna, managing director of Bosch Vietnam, presenting the Milky Way project

Riders will then collect the milk and store it in a special delivery box fitted with Bosch sensors connected to the company’s cloud platform. Home-grown ride-hailing service be will be expediting delivery of goods using a fleet of VinFast Klara eScooters powered by Bosch electric motor and battery technologies.

The electric Scooters used for Milky Way put Bosch’s scalable solutions for urban delivery to good use, making mobility more efficient and eco-friendly.

The built-in Bosch micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) sensors will continuously measure different parameters of the delivery box including humidity, temperature, lid status, impact (like a drop), location, and box integrity, thus preserving the quality and hygiene of the breast milk from pickup to completion of delivery.

This also eliminates the hassle of searching for freezers or ice packs for storage of breast milk at the workplace. Users will receive delivery status notifications and can track the progress via an online tracking web app.

Key information from the sensors gathered throughout the journey are also available to users via the web app to ensure the integrity of the shipment. Milky Way was developed at the Bosch engineering and business solutions centre in Ho Chi Minh City.

Milky Way is another step in Bosch’s commitment to drive gender diversity and equality

“As a leader in sensor-based connectivity technology and an employer of choice, we are constantly innovating and developing solutions that address social concerns and challenges,” said Guru Mallikarjuna, managing director of Bosch in Vietnam. “By leveraging our expertise in software and sensor solutions, we are giving mothers the support they need to strike a balance between enjoying motherhood and a fulfilling career.”

“Bosch’s IoT innovation power has an impact on millions of lives and we are seeing a healthy demand for our sensor and connectivity products,” said Baskaran Rakkiappan, managing director of Bosch engineering and business solution arm in Vietnam. “Therefore, we are always on a lookout for local talent with passion for innovation, engineering, and software skills who are hungry to make a difference.”

With more than 400,000 associates globally, Milky Way is another badge to Bosch’s commitment to drive gender diversity and equality where every associate is valued and encouraged to reach the full potential of their professional and personal life.

“The combination of technical progress, flexible working models, and socially responsible practices are amongst the basis of our success here in Vietnam,” says Guru. “Our corporate purpose is to improve the quality of life by developing technology that is invented for life.”