Preventing pressure ulcers in the ErasmusMC: A case study about system innovations in healthcare

A pressure ulcer (PU) is defined as localised damage to the skin and/or underlying tissue, as a result of pressure or pressure in combination with shear. Despite the fact that pressure ulcers have received a lot of attention recently in hospitals and long-term care homes, they still form a major issue. The ErasmusMC is one of the hospitals with...

Dense 3D pressure discomfort threshold (PDT) map of the human head, face and neck: A new method for mapping human sensitivity

When designing wearables that interface with the human head, face and neck, designers and engineers consider human senses, ergonomics and comfort. A dense 3D pressure discomfort threshold map could be helpful, but does not exist yet. Differences in pressure discomfort threshold for areas of the head, neck and face were recorded, to create a 3D...

Bed Posture Classification using a Non-Intrusive Sensor System: For Prevention of Pressure Ulcers

Background: Pressure ulcers are skin and soft tissue wounds that lead to severe patient suffering and considerable financial burden, with the yearly treatment cost estimated at 1.25 billion euro in the Netherlands alone. Research findings suggest posture classification in bed as a promising tool for pressure ulcer prevention, however currently...

Embedded Neural Networks for Continuous Patient Posture Classification

Current hospital protocols dictate patients be turned at least every three hours in the effort of preventing pressure ulcers. To reduce the workload of nurses, Momo Medical has created an embedded sensing device to track the patient's posture and notify nurses when it is time to turn them. The challenge presented and the focus of this thesis is...

Improving the reliability of pressure ulcer prevention by sensing human bio-signals: Analysis of using piezoelectric sensors to sense respiration and heart rate

Pressure ulcers, also known as bedsores, are wounds that form when a person sits or lays in the same<br/>posture for an extended period of time. Continued pressure being applied to the same spot causes<br/>the skin to decay, possibly continuing into underlaying tissue if the wounds are not treated. A common<br/>and proven practice to prevent...

Improving reliability of Force Sensing Resistors for a Pressure Ulcer Prevention System

Pressure ulcers develop when skin is subjected to a mechanical load over time, resulting in tissue damage. Within a wide range of patients, pressure ulcers occur, often accompanied by severe pain.<br/>This is resulting in a prolonged hospital stay. The company Momo Medical is developing a sensor plate<br/>with the goal of preventing pressure...

Non-intrusive patient monitoring to prevent pressure ulcers: Algorithm Subgroup

The founders of Momo Medical envisioned a health care product that would help nurses worldwide with pressure ulcer prevention. Pressure ulcers are a chronic wound that affects the skin of patients who do not regularly change bed posture. As it currently stands, nurses lack the manpower and time to change the postureof patients in a timely manor....

Non-intrusive patient monitoring for pressure ulcer prevention: Group F - Test Group

Problem Definition<br/>This bachelor final project was an assignment given by the start up Momo Medical named: "Improving health care with technology". This project was to use their existing technology and ideas to create a system to prevent pressure ulcers. Pressure ulcer are the medical condition that happens when a patient is left too long in...

Non-intrusive patient monitoring to prevent pressure ulcers: Sensor Subgroup: Creating a sensor solution

Pressure ulcers are wounds that arise when a person sits or lays in the same posture for an extended period of time. Starting from the skin and possibly continuing to the bone, tissue slowly decays when the pressure keeps being applied to the same spot. Prevention is the best method of treating the ulcers and it is done by regularly changing...

Modeling the interaction between micro-climate factors and moisture-related skin-support friction during patient repositioning in bed

Pressure Ulcer and Hypothermia preventive Surface

Spinal boards are designed for the fixation and immobilization of patients. These spinal boards although are often the cause for pressure ulcer and hypothermia. Pressure ulcer is caused by prolonged pressure on the patients lying on the spinal board. Hypothermia is often caused by the prolonged exposure to a cold environment. The design consists...

Design of a long-stay support for immobile people in nursing homes

A net suspension chair is designed for terminally-ill people in nursing homes that supports the transfers with a sliding sheet. The focus is on comfort and the efficiency of transfers to support the daily activities of the users. When the users are nearing their end-of-life, it becomes hard for them to move their bodies and the regular...