Wireless Sensor Pads for Patient Incontinence and Movement Monitoring
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing patient movement and incontinence notification systems face issues such as disposable sensors with limited lifespan, difficulty in monitoring usage time, inability to distinguish between multiple sensor pads, frequent false alarms, and lack of integration between movement and incontinence monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A combined patient movement and incontinence notification system featuring wireless sensor pads with pressure and moisture sensors, a monitor that receives and identifies signals from different types of pads, and user inputs to manage notifications, allowing for precise tracking of patient activity and incontinence events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If disposable pressure-sensitive sensors are used for patient movement notification, then the system can detect patient movement effectively, but the sensor lifespan is limited to 30 days or less due to pressure sensitivity degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable sensor pads that are intentionally designed with limited lifespan (30 days or less) to ensure reliable pressure-sensitive detection during their service period. After this period, the sensors degrade and become unreliable, so they are replaced rather than maintained, ensuring continuous reliable operation without complex recalibration or repair systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sensor pads of the same type are monitored, then comprehensive patient coverage is achieved, but it becomes difficult to identify which specific pad triggered the notification
Solution Approach 1:
Each sensor pad is equipped with a unique identifier code that distinguishes it from other pads. When a notification is triggered, the monitor displays which specific pad (identified by its unique code) detected the movement, allowing caregivers to quickly locate and respond to the specific area needing attention while maintaining comprehensive monitoring coverage.
3Reliability
If the monitor alerts caregivers to patient movement, then patient safety is improved, but frequent alarms become a nuisance to both patients and nurses
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a combination of sensor types (pressure sensors for movement detection and moisture sensors for incontinence detection) to trigger notifications. By requiring specific conditions to be met (such as pressure release from a specific zone or moisture detection), the system reduces false alarms while maintaining adequate safety monitoring, balancing patient safety with caregiver convenience.
4Reliability
If separate systems are used for patient movement notification and incontinence notification, then each function can be optimized independently, but system complexity increases and integration is lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates pressure-sensitive movement detection and moisture-sensitive incontinence detection into a unified notification system. A single monitor receives inputs from both types of sensor pads, consolidating what would otherwise be separate systems. This reduces overall system complexity, simplifies caregiver operation, and provides comprehensive patient monitoring through one integrated platform while maintaining the functional optimization of specialized sensors.
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
The system effectively extends sensor lifespan, reduces false alarms, and integrates movement and incontinence monitoring, providing caregivers with timely and accurate notifications to ensure patient safety and comfort.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure sensor for sensing pressure applied by a patient
Implementation Method 2
an incontinence sensor for sensing moisture due to incontinence
Data Source
AI summary
A notification system is provided that provides notification of patient events such as movement and/or incontinence. The notification system provides for a plurality of different pressure sensor pads as well as an incontinence pad to be used in association with a single monitor.