Bed Force-Sensor System for Atrial Fibrillation Risk Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for detecting cardiac conditions such as atrial fibrillation require users to wear physiological sensors, which can be uncomfortable and lead to low compliance, while home-based solutions lack the ability to accurately assess cardiac activity.

Innovation Solution

A bed equipped with force sensors that transmit force streams to a computing system, which determines cardiac metrics like heartrate, heartrate variability, and stroke volume to assess the risk of atrial fibrillation and other cardiac conditions without the need for wearable sensors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If wearable physiological sensors are used to detect cardiac conditions, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to discomfort and low compliance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecardiac condition detection accuracyVSAvoiduser compliance

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces wearable mechanical/physiological sensors with a bed-based force sensing system. The bed uses force sensors to detect cardiac-induced movements and vibrations, converting mechanical forces into electrical signals for cardiac analysis. This substitution eliminates the need for uncomfortable wearable devices while maintaining detection capability through indirect measurement of cardiac activity via body movements on the bed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of operation

If home-based solutions are used for cardiac monitoring, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to inability to accurately assess cardiac activity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehome-based monitoring convenienceVSAvoidcardiac activity assessment accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes mechanical vibrations and oscillations generated by cardiac activity that are transmitted through the body to the bed. Force sensors detect these subtle vibrations, and signal processing algorithms extract cardiac metrics such as heart rate and rhythm. This approach enables accurate cardiac monitoring in a home setting by leveraging the natural mechanical vibrations produced by the heart during normal sleeping or resting positions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #18Mechanical vibration

Solution Approach 2:

The bed structure serves as an intermediary between the user's cardiac activity and the detection system. Force sensors embedded in the bed detect forces transmitted through the user's body, which act as a mediator conveying cardiac information to the sensing system without requiring direct contact with physiological sensors on the user's skin.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If wearable sensors are replaced with bed-based monitoring, then ease of operation is improved through natural user interactions, but device complexity increases due to force sensor integration and signal processing requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenatural user interactionVSAvoidsensor integration and signal processing

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The bed-based system serves multiple functions: it provides structural support for the user, contains integrated force sensors for cardiac monitoring, and can potentially detect other physiological parameters through the same sensing mechanism. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated devices while managing complexity through consolidated design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables accurate detection of cardiac conditions like atrial fibrillation through natural user interactions, improving compliance and comfort by using a bed as a monitoring device.

Implementation Method 1

Each of the force sensors in the plurality of force sensors can be configured to: sense force applied to the bed by a user and transmit, to the computing system, a stream of the plurality of force streams based on the sensing of the force applied to the bed

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectForce sensing: Force

Implementation Method 2

Computing hardware can identify one or more cardiac measures for the user, including heartrate, heartrate volatility, and/or stroke volume

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeart rate detection through force analysis:

Implementation Method 3

The high-frequency power data for the user comprises an estimate of a frequency-domain heart-rate variability (HRV) metric

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeart rate variability analysis:

Data Source

PatentUS20250235115A1Bed having features for determining risk of cardiac conditions including atrial fibrillation

Publication Date: 2025.07.24 SLEEP NUMBER CORP

AI summary

A bed has a mattress. Force sensors transmit, to a computing system, a plurality of force streams, and wherein each of the force sensors in the plurality of force sensors is configured to: sense force applied to the bed by a user; and transmit, to a computing system, a stream of the plurality of force streams based on the sensing of the force applied to the bed. The computing system including at least one processor and memory, the computing system configured to: receive the plurality of force streams from the plurality of force sensors; and determine an atrial fibrillation (AF) risk-metric for the user using at least one of the force streams.