Lullabies and bedtime stories may become a thing of the past thanks to a revolutionary cot which rocks a baby to sleep automatically.

Invented by four male university students, the intelligent cot controls a child's temperature and allows parents to monitor their offspring from another room. The inventors were inspired by a desire to advance the design of something which has remained unchanged for decades.

But it is hoped the cot will also reduce cases of cot death or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (Sids), which are often linked to babies' overheating in bed, and provide an early warning system for parents if something is wrong with their child.

The cot connects to modern home network systems, allowing parents to monitor the temperature and see and hear their child from any room. It also remotely rocks the baby to sleep.

The mattress can be raised or lowered, making changing nappies easier and life less difficult for mothers who have had a caesarean section and find it difficult to bend or lift.

The four students came up with the idea of redesigning the cot as part of their final year industrial design project at Coventry University. Research included interviewing nursery nurses, midwives and parents. The students said temperature control was made an important feature while additional features include sensory development toys and a bottle chiller/warmer.

Adam Treen, one of the students, said the group realised the basic design and function of the cot had not changed over the years and was in need of a revamp for the 21st century. "The feedback has been amazing and lots of the parents are asking why this isn't on the market already and when it will be available," he said.

Each year about 350 babies in the UK die from Sids, which is the leading cause of death in babies over one month old.

A full-size working model of the cot is on display at the university's annual degree show, which ends on June 9.