Companies like Angelcare sell a "baby movement monitor" sleep pad that sounds an alarm if the infant stops moving for 30 seconds. It's sensitive enough to detect movement from breathing alone.

There are a lot of them, but nothing replaces skin-on-skin touch. In our case, it was the only way we could get my daughter to sleep.

I don't know much about babies, but the way you phrased it made sound like "Beatings will continue until morale improves" approach.