Development of a next-generation smart wheelchair seat cushion for pressure relief and the prevention of pressure injuries

In the US, there are approximately 5.5 million full-time wheelchair users, of whom more than 85% will develop debilitating pressure injuries at some point. Kalogon developed Orbiter, a smart seat cushion that dynamically senses and redistributes pressure in conjunction with each person’s own offloads, in a way that is designed to help prevent these pressure injuries. With support from a Phase I SBIR, Kalogon implemented significant improvements that reduced the size, noise level, and manufacturing cost. In Phase II, Kalogon is responding to community member feedback with these tasks: Task 1: Internalization of the control unit within while maintaining full comfort and utility The Kalogon team will completely redesign the existing product to miniaturize components while maintaining the same level of performance. Task 2: Pressure mapping to optimize control unit integration and confirm Orbiter efficacy Various prototypes of the new design will be testeds, via 6 pressure mapping events with 8 people each, that will also gather feedback on comfort. Task 3: Development of an intuitive, and accessible Orbiter app that meets the needs of wheelchair users and captures performance data for monitoring effectiveness and refining of pressure redistribution algorithm. The team will gather feedback on the current app, work with a mobile app accessibility expert, build a new app, and test that with a group of 10 people who use wheelchairs.