A new wearable smart jumpsuit, MAIJU, developed by researchers at the University of Helsinki and the New Children’s Hospital at Helsinki University Hospital, offers an objective and accurate way to assess children’s motor skills—without requiring researchers to be present.
A child playing in a smart jumpsuit. Image Credit: Sampsa Vanhatalo
Monitoring early neurological development is a key aspect of pediatric healthcare worldwide. During a child’s first two years, motor development plays a crucial role in overall growth and interaction with their environment. However, current methods rely heavily on parental observations and brief medical check-ups, which don’t provide continuous or precise tracking of a child’s progress.
MAIJU (Motor Assessment of Infants with a Jumpsuit) addresses these challenges using multisensor technology and AI-driven analysis. Designed for home use, the jumpsuit records a child’s movements during free play. AI algorithms then evaluate whether key motor milestones are being met, track time spent in different postures, and measure developmental progress over time.
Reliable, Objective, and Internationally Comparable Developmental Assessment
A recent study found that MAIJU’s AI algorithms can identify motor milestones with the same accuracy as trained specialists in a multinational World Health Organization (WHO) reference study.
This technique brings objectivity and global harmonization to the assessment of motor development. It also boosts regional equality in children’s developmental assessment both nationally and internationally.
Sampsa Vanhatalo, Professor and Principal Investigator, University of Helsinki
The study involved 620 at-home measurements of 134 children between the ages of 4 and 22 months. The results confirm that MAIJU provides highly reliable and objective developmental assessments in a home environment. The detailed insights generated by the AI can help detect developmental delays, evaluate the impact of rehabilitation, and support large-scale international research.
The MAIJU jumpsuit opens up new opportunities for monitoring children’s development, making it equal across Finland and the world. The MAIJU method also offers a unique opportunity to investigate the effects of the growth environment or nutrition on development.
Manu Airaksinen, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Helsinki
Journal Reference:
Airaksinen, M., et al. (2025). Assessing Infant Gross Motor Performance With an At-Home Wearable. PEDIATRICS. doi.org/10.1542/peds.2024-068647.