Patient Support Surface Control for Pressure, Shear, and Temperature
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current person support surfaces, such as mattresses, fail to adequately prevent pressure ulcers and superficial lesions due to inadequate regulation of interface pressure, shear, and temperature, despite existing control systems, as these factors contribute to tissue breakdown mechanisms that are not fully addressed by traditional methods.
Innovation Solution
A control system for inflatable person support surfaces that includes sensors to monitor pressure, shear, and temperature, and a processor to adjust fluid supply parameters like flow rate, humidity, and temperature, using a surface performance index calculation to maintain optimal conditions and alert caregivers if these parameters cannot be achieved, thereby reducing the risk of pressure ulcers and superficial lesions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional person support surfaces are used, then the device complexity is low, but the ability to prevent pressure ulcers and regulate interface pressure, shear, and temperature is inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The control system continuously monitors interface pressure, shear, and temperature through sensors and adjusts fluid supply parameters in real-time based on measured values, creating a closed-loop feedback system that dynamically maintains optimal tissue conditions and prevents pressure ulcer development
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically regulates its own operation by using sensor data to control fluid supply parameters without requiring manual intervention, enabling the mattress to self-adjust to maintain predetermined ranges for pressure, shear, and temperature
2Manufacturing precision
If manual regulation of fluid supply parameters is used, then the ease of operation is high, but the precision of interface pressure, shear, and temperature control is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual mechanical adjustment with automated electronic control, where a processor receives sensor data and automatically adjusts fluid supply parameters (flow rate, temperature, humidity) to achieve precise control within predetermined ranges, eliminating the need for manual regulation while maintaining high precision
3Adaptability or versatility
If dynamic adjustment of fluid supply parameters is implemented, then the adaptability to patient conditions is improved, but the loss of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts fluid supply parameters (flow rate, temperature, humidity) based on real-time sensor measurements of interface pressure, shear, and temperature, enabling adaptation to changing patient conditions while optimizing energy usage by adjusting parameters only when and where needed rather than maintaining constant high-level operation
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A control system of a patient support surface calculates a surface performance index as a function of pressure and shear. The control system also receives information from an electronic medical record (EMR) corresponding to a person's susceptibility of developing at least one of a pressure ulcer and a superficial lesion and adjusts at least one of a component and a characteristic of the person support surface based on the information.