Expertise: Pressure / Force Analysis

SAM3 Expertise Areas: Pressure / Force Analysis

Pressure sensors and pressure sensitive mats have extensive applications within well-being assessment and these include the application of sensors onto devices to better understand the pressures or forces being applied to the devices by users such a grab handles and push handles. Pressure sensitive mats can be placed on a bed frame under the mattress and this has been used to assess respiration rate and bed movements such as those associated with pain.

SAM3 researchers have extensive experience and expertise in a wide range of pressure and force sensors.

Sensor Technology

• Force sensitive resistors and Force sensitive capacitors
• Strain gauges and load cells
• Fibre optic force sensors
• Optical Force sensors including proximity sensors
• Materials to support sensors (gels, plastics, metals)

Applications

• Hand grip or push forces
• Respiration rate and related measures (Apnea)
• Movements including restlessness and lack of movement
• Human movement including bed exit, sway, posture and centre of pressure.
• Forces applied to skin including normal and shear forces
• The mats have also been used on the floor to better characterize bed exits and to measure the standing stability of patients.
• Methods to detect the lying posture is important in optimizing the parameters of the breathing detection algorithms leading to posture assessment work.

More information is available here.