Preventing pressure ulcers by increasing pressure: An unorthodox alternating-pressure mattress.

Journal: Science robotics
Published Date: Jun 18, 2025

Abstract

Despite the devastating effects of pressure ulcers (PUs), little is understood about how they can be prevented using alternating-pressure (AP) mattresses. Such mattresses typically aim to minimize the pressures imparted while alternating between different states of pressure to prevent areas of tissue from being persistently occluded of blood flow. In this work, we built an actuator bed to study AP approaches and learned that AP mattresses should aim to increase-not decrease-peak pressures to a certain extent if such areas are to be minimized for effectively preventing PUs. In addition, we learned that such mattresses should aim to increase the difference between their loading and off-loading pressures. We identified optimal parameters from the study and used them to design an AP mattress made of compliant mechanisms that markedly reduce areas of persistent occlusion by exhibiting relatively high peak pressures that are periodically alternated with substantially lower off-loading pressures. The mattress's performance was characterized and compared against a standard foam pad in its flat and raised configurations. The load required to actuate the mattress from one of its stable states of pressure to the other was also measured.

Authors

  • Zhidi Yang
    Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
  • James L Weida
    Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
  • Siyuan Shao
    Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
  • Brandon Reedel
    Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
  • Collin Shannon
    Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
  • Junlin Chen
    State Key Laboratory of Marine Food Processing & Safety Control, College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, 266003, China.
  • Piyush Sheth
    K Medical LLC, Porter Ranch, CA 91326, USA.
  • Jonathan B Hopkins
    Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.

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