inkubátor

An inkubátor is a device or program designed to maintain controlled environmental conditions to promote development. The term is Hungarian for incubator and is used for a range of devices and initiatives that provide warmth, humidity, air composition, or support services. In medicine, biology, and industry, incubators create the stable environments needed for growth, survival, and maturation.

In neonatal medicine, a medical incubator provides a stable temperature, humidity, and oxygen level to support premature or ill infants. These devices are highly regulated medical equipment, monitored by clinical staff, and connected to data systems to track patient status.

In laboratory and industrial settings, incubators offer controlled temperature and atmosphere for cell cultures, microbiology work, and biochemical assays. There are specialized variants such as CO2 incubators, refrigerated incubators, and dry incubators, each suited to specific protocols and materials. Egg incubators, or hatchery incubators, simulate natural nesting conditions to hatch poultry and other birds by controlling temperature, humidity, and turning of eggs.

In business and technology contexts, inkubátor refers to startup incubators or incubator programs that provide resources, mentorship, office space, and sometimes seed funding to early-stage companies. These programs aim to accelerate development and connect startups with networks, customers, and investors. They may operate within universities, corporations, or municipal initiatives and are sometimes branded as inkubátorház in Hungarian.

Etymology: from Latin incubare, to lie upon or brood. The term in Hungarian encompasses both physical devices and developmental programs across medical, scientific, and entrepreneurial domains.