Pressure ulcer risk assessment by monitoring interface pressure and temperature

Pressure ulcers are tissue damages resulting from blood flow restriction, which occur when a subject´s tissue is exposed to high pressure for a lengthy period of time. These painful sores are common in bedridden and wheelchair-bound patients and the elderly. In this work, a continuous pressure and temperature monitoring system is developed for pressure ulcer prevention. The system consists of 64 pressure sensors and 64 temperature sensors on a 40×50 cm² sheet. Real time pressure and temperature data and corresponding maps are displayed on a computer simultaneously. Risk assessment can be performed by monitoring and recording pressure and temperature absolute values as well as deviations through time.