Wireless Sensor Patch Suitable for Continuous Monitoring of Contact Pressure in a Clinical Setting

The system described in this paper is intended for prevention of pressure ulcers by alerting the patient or caregiver to a potentially harmful level of contact pressure that could cause irreversible tissue damage. Experimental results are presented demonstrating pressure measurement techniques on a euthanized animal model. A Sprague-Dawley rat was euthanized and an alloy sheet steel disc was implanted under the latissimus dorsi muscle. Pressure was applied using various Neodymium Iron Boron alloy magnets. The data were communicated wirelessly to a base station. Measurement results show that applied contact pressure can be measured in real time, which can eventually alert a caregiver to a condition requiring intervention.