Pressure / Motion Monitoring for Remote Delivery of Skin Care to Veterans

Eric E. Sabelman, PhD; Ruth Yap, MS; David L. Jaffe, MS; and H.F.M. Van der Loos, PhD

Abstract: Individuals with sensorimotor deficits are at risk for skin breakdown (pressure sores or decubitus ulcers). Improved pressure/motion analysis technology is needed to prevent chronic skin wounds and to aid the clinician following a patient, without the necessity of frequent personal visits. This need is pressing because changes in health care delivery have led to a documented increase in serious pressure sores in VA Long Term Care residents. We have created a Wearable Accelerometric Motion Analysis System ("WAMAS") to allow individuals to self-monitor pressure relief activities and provide sensory cues to the user when pressure or time limits have been exceeded. We hypothesize that on-site data processing and feedback to the patient, with notification sent to a remote clinician only if status is unsatisfactory, will result in improved compliance and reduced incidence of serious pressure sores. Tests to date on paraplegic subjects have shown that different weight shift activities have recognizable pressure and motion signatures. If weight shift is not repeated within a specified time interval, the subject is reminded by output from a digital voice chip, and if still no action is taken, an alarm message can be sent via serial RF link.