Mattress-Integrated Fluid Sensor for Early Incontinence Alerts

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Solution Overview

Problem

Urinary incontinence is a stigmatized condition that leads to skin breakdown, pressure injuries, and mental health issues, with existing solutions failing to effectively detect and manage incontinence, leading to complications and reduced patient satisfaction.

Innovation Solution

A mattress-integrated sensor system that generates an electrical field, detects fluid interruptions, and issues alerts when moisture exceeds a threshold, integrated with a network for caregiver notification.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional incontinence management methods are used, then patients may maintain privacy and avoid stigmatization, but skin breakdown and pressure injuries develop due to delayed detection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveincontinence detection reliabilityVSAvoidskin breakdown and pressure injuries

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The electrical field sensor continuously monitors for fluid presence before significant skin damage occurs. By detecting incontinence events immediately upon occurrence, the system enables preliminary intervention, allowing caregivers to respond before skin breakdown or pressure injuries develop, thus preventing harmful effects rather than treating them after onset.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system establishes a feedback loop where the sensor detects fluid presence, triggers an alert to the caregiver, and enables timely response. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures that incontinence events are communicated reliably, allowing for immediate intervention that prevents skin breakdown and pressure injuries while maintaining patient dignity and privacy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If mattress-integrated sensors are installed, then incontinence detection capability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveincontinence detection capabilityVSAvoidmattress manufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor is integrated directly into the mattress structure during the manufacturing process, combining the mattress and sensor into a single unified product. This merging approach eliminates the need for separate sensor installation steps, simplifies the overall manufacturing process, and reduces the complexity of integrating multiple components while maintaining effective incontinence detection capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The mattress serves multiple functions: it provides patient comfort and support while simultaneously housing the incontinence detection sensor. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate detection devices, simplifies manufacturing by consolidating components, and maintains detection effectiveness through the electrical field sensor integrated into the mattress structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If continuous monitoring is implemented, then detection reliability is improved, but energy consumption and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous detection reliabilityVSAvoidsensor energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The electrical field sensor operates continuously to maintain reliable detection, but the system uses periodic threshold-based alert triggering rather than continuous high-power communication. The sensor monitors the electrical field constantly for changes, but only activates full alert protocols when fluid presence exceeds the threshold, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining continuous detection reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

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

Early detection of incontinence reduces skin breakdown and pressure injuries, improves patient satisfaction, and enhances clinical outcomes by facilitating timely caregiver response.

Implementation Method 1

one or more electrically conductive traces arranged on the substrate, the one or more electrically conductive traces configured to generate an electrical field that is interrupted by a presence of a fluid

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical field interruption: Conduction (electrical)

Data Source

PatentUS20250381075A1Incontinence detection

Publication Date: 2025.12.18 HILL ROM SERVICES INC

AI summary

A mattress includes one or more internal structures, an outer cover surrounding the one or more internal structures, and a sensor fixed between the one or more internal structures and the outer cover such that the sensor is integrated with the mattress. The sensor includes a substrate and one or more electrically conductive traces arranged on the substrate. The one or more electrically conductive traces generate an electrical field that is interrupted by a presence of a fluid. The sensor further includes an electrical connector for connecting the one or more electrically conductive traces to a controller housed on a frame that is configured to support the mattress. An interruption of the electrical field causes the controller to issue an alert when the presence of the fluid outside of the mattress exceeds a threshold.