SBIR Phase I: Pressure-mapping surfaces made with nano-composite foam material

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to develop a soft, durable, and completely flexible pressure mapping surface with application in long-term care bedding for the prevention of pressure sores and ulcers. The project will advance a process to transform current foam materials and compliant components into high-accuracy deformation sensors. Treating pressure sores costs nearly $10 B in the US, and thousands of related lawsuits are filed every year. For patients, pressure sores can add up to an additional $40 k in hospital bills. This project will develop a medical sensing technology by combining the properties of sensing composite foam with efficient algorithms for electrical capacitive tomography (ECT). This system will lead to applications such as prosthetics monitoring comfort levels, diabetic insoles/midsoles monitor pressure hotspots, industrial gaskets and seals that self-monitor, wheelchair pads that can monitor pressure, and automotive/airplane seats that automatically adjust to maximize comfort. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Project will develop a system to prevent pressure ulcers associated with long-term care, the treatment of which results in a cost of $10 B annually with several objectives: 1) Develop a shape-reconstruction algorithm based on electrical capacitive tomography (ECT). 2) Develop and prototype a composite foam surface providing a similar feel to currently used materials but generating an appropriate change in capacitance when compressed. 3) Adapt the composite foam technology to lower-density foams typically found in bedding products. 4) Construct a full-scale prototype to test the ability to accurately measure pressure across the entire surface, optimize sensing resolution, and investigate attachment methods for the ECT electrodes. 5) Conduct a large-scale manufacturability review for scalability of the product in both materials manufacturing and electrical assembly. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.