Sensor Cell Network for Pressure, Temperature and Position Detection on Wheelchair Users.

Cátia Tavares,Maria De Fátima Domingues,Daniela Real,Nélia Alberto,Hugo Silva,Paulo Antunes

doi:10.3390/ijerph19042195

Abstract

This work proposes an optical sensing network to monitor pressure and temperature in specific areas of a wheelchair to prevent pressure ulcers and to monitor the position of the wheelchair user by analyzing its pressure distribution. The sensing network is composed of six optical fiber Bragg grating (FBG)-based sensor cells. Each sensor cell is built from a polylactic acid (PLA) base and has two FBGs, one embedded in epoxy resin to monitor pressure variations (FBGP) and another without resin to monitor temperature (FBGT). Once produced, all sensor cells were experimentally characterized for pressure and temperature variations, resulting in an average pressure sensitivity of 81 ± 5 pm/kPa (FBGP) and −5.0 ± 0.4 pm/kPa (FBGT), and an average temperature sensitivity of 25 ± 1 pm/°C (FBGP) and 47.7 ± 0.7 pm/°C (FBGT). The sensor cells were then placed in six specific areas of a wheelchair (four in the seat area and two in the shoulder blade area) to carry out experimental tests, wherein the response of the sensors to a specific sequence of relief positions was tested. During the execution of the test, the optical signal of all sensors was monitored, in real time, with the pressure and temperature values detected in each zone of the wheelchair. In addition, random position changes were performed in order to evaluate the precision of the proposed sensing network in the identification of such positions.

Highlights

IntroductionThe advances in knowledge associated with the development of science and technology, as well as the increase in the average life expectancy of people, has led to a constant search for solutions in the field of health to improve the quality of life of the population
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutralThe advances in knowledge associated with the development of science and technology, as well as the increase in the average life expectancy of people, has led to a constant search for solutions in the field of health to improve the quality of life of the population.Often, these solutions do not lead to the cure of a pathology, but instead focus on its treatment and/or prevention
With the obtained data and respective adjustments and averages, we summarize the main findings in Table 1, wherein the pressure and temperature sensitivity coefficients of FBGP and FBGTT are are listed listed for for all all the the sensor sensor cells

Summary

Introduction

The advances in knowledge associated with the development of science and technology, as well as the increase in the average life expectancy of people, has led to a constant search for solutions in the field of health to improve the quality of life of the population Often, these solutions do not lead to the cure of a pathology, but instead focus on its treatment and/or prevention. Additional pressure applied to a specific area of the skin impairs blood flow, resulting in a decrease in oxygen and nutrients to that area (ischemia) when sustained for a long period of time [4] If this pressure is not relieved, an ulcer will begin with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations

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Conclusion