Body Pressure Sensing Mattress for Bedsore （身体压力传感对褥疮床垫）.pdfVIP

NEW AREAS Body Pressure Sensing Mattress for Bedsore Prevention * Akitsugu MISAKI , Kyoko IMANISHI, Shin-ichiro TAKASUGI, Mika WADA, Shuji FUKAGAWA and Masutaka FURUE We have developed an air mattress that prevents patients from developing pressure ulcers (bedsores), thereby improving their quality of life (QOL), promoting their rehabilitation, and reducing the burden of caregivers when changing a patient’s body position. Based on suggestions from medical professionals, our mattress is equipped with “Smart Rubber” (SR) sensors and two-balloon air cells. The sensors measure body pressure and the tension of the air cells is accordingly adjusted in order to fit to the patient’s body shape. This mattress disperses body pressure smoothly, provides comfortable bed rest and helps patients’ early ambulation. Keywords: mattress, bedsore, sensor, air cell 1. Introduction In order to achieve such a nursing care environment, the authors have been working on the technological devel- Along with population ageing, issues concerning eld- opment of a new kind of mattress which has built-in pressure erly care are being paid serious attention. We have been sensors with a constant feedback system by automatically ad- working on the project to lower the incidence of pressure justing the mattress tension to fit to the body shape and pos- ulcers (bed sores) in bedridden patients. The pressure ulcer ture of a patient. is a condition caused by pressure or sheer stress applied to the body surface for a certain period of time, resulting in cutaneous necrosis due to blood flow insufficiency. In order to prevent pressure u