US 12,257,065 B2
Techniques for patient pressure injury prevention
Samuel Mansfield, Santa Cruz, CA (US); and Katia Obraczka, Santa Cruz, CA (US)
Assigned to The Regents of the University of California, Oakland, CA (US)
Filed by The Regents of the University of California, Oakland, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 17, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/455,332.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/114,684, filed on Nov. 17, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0151545 A1, May 19, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 5/11 (2006.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 5/445 (2013.01) [A61B 5/1116 (2013.01); A61B 5/6813 (2013.01); A61B 5/742 (2013.01); A61B 2562/0247 (2013.01); A61B 2562/046 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for patient pressure injury prevention (PPIP) comprising:
receiving, from a plurality of pressure sensors in a wearable pressure array configured to be worn by a patient, samples data that indicate pressure measurements by the plurality of sensors at each of a plurality of different times;
computing a pressure plane based on the pressure measurements from the pressure array, with the pressure plane being defined in 3D space;
determining a direction of the pressure plane which corresponds to an orientation of the patient, with the direction being perpendicular to a face of the pressure plane;
determining at each of the plurality of different times an angular orientation of the pressure plane based on a strength and the direction of the pressure plane;
determining a value of a patient movement parameter based on a history of the strength of movement or a total number of movements over a time interval, with the patient movement parameter corresponding to a condition of the patient;
presenting on a display device a pressure injury category for the patient corresponding to the value of the patient movement parameter, with the patient's risk of pressure injury or need for assisted movement being presented as a time series over the time interval; and
recommending treatment for assisting the patient in changing posture or moving based on the displayed pressure injury category.