A Wearable Pad for Detecting and Monitoring Heel Pressure Ulcer: Preliminary Study

This paper addresses a critical gap in wearable sensors for pressure ulcer monitoring, focusing on heel pressure ulcer, a high-risk area. In This study, a wearable pad for monitoring pressure ulcers on bedridden patients was developed. The pad integrates pressure and temperature sensors into a comfortable fabric bandage, allowing for data collection and analysis. Machine algorithms classify sensor readings as healthy or risky, with a user-friendly display communicating the risk level. The wearable pad is tested on three individuals, recording the difference between a heel without pressure ulcer and one with an existing pressure ulcer. The successful development and validation of this wearable sensor pad could revolutionize early detection and prevention strategies for bedridden patients, improving health outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.