PFI-RP: An Innovative Wheelchair Design that Shifts Body Pressures Automatically to Prevent Tissue Damage and Injury

该创新-研究伙伴关系（PFI-RP）项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是一种新的轮椅系统的可用性，该系统自动循环使用者通过不同的姿势，通过系统地卸载高风险身体区域的压力来防止软组织压力损伤的形成。压力伤是指臀部、骶骨和肩胛骨上的深度穿透伤。这种独特的轮椅设计创造了现有商业轮椅无法实现的运动轮廓。这些动作可以与传感器反馈相关联，并可以进行调整以提供个性化护理。这种具有自动运动功能的新设备将有益于脑损伤、中风或脊髓损伤患者以及老年人，特别是那些有认知障碍的人和照顾他们的医疗机构。 压力性损伤严重损害个人的健康，导致漫长的恢复时间，并导致巨大的医疗费用。预防压力伤害对用户的健康和福祉产生积极影响，并将减轻社会的医疗保健负担。该系统还具有促进新的康复和治疗设备的潜力。拟议的项目将产生一种创新的新轮椅系统，该系统将根据位于伤口形成高风险区域的传感器反馈自动改变身体位置和压力，从而防止压力损伤。身体位置的改变和压力的卸载将通过一种新颖的、多段致动器驱动的轮椅系统来实现，该系统能够实现商业轮椅不可能实现的新运动。作为该项目的一部分，将进行适应移动的轮椅的改造，其足迹相当于现有轮椅。 其他工作将包括自动化和通过深入的用户测试开发的适当用户界面。多传感器反馈与关节算法的集成将能够基于传感器输出自动调整位置，从而为用户创建最佳的个性化协议。 高风险区域的卸载压力有助于增加血液灌注和降低组织应力，直接解决与压力损伤形成相关的风险因素。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Partnerships for Innovation –Research Partnerships (PFI-RP) project is the availability of a new wheelchair system which automatically cycles users through different postures, preventing the formation of soft tissue pressure injuries by systematically off-loading pressure on high-risk body regions. Pressure injuries are deep, penetrating wounds found under the buttocks, on the sacrum, and shoulder blades. This unique wheelchair design creates movement profiles that are not currently possible in existing, commercial wheelchairs. These movements can be linked to sensor feedback and can be tuned to provide personalized care. This new device, with its automatic movements, will be beneficial to those with brain injury, stroke, or spinal cord injury as well as the geriatric population, particularly those with cognitive impairments and the health care facilities who care for them. Pressure injuries severely compromise the health of individuals, result in lengthy recovery times, and lead to enormous healthcare costs. Prevention of pressure injuries positively impacts the health and well-being of the user and will reduce the healthcare burden to society. This system also has the potential to facilitate new rehabilitation and therapeutic devices.The proposed project will yield an innovative new wheelchair system that will prevent pressure injuries by automatically shifting the body position and pressures based on sensor feedback located at high risk regions for wound formation. The shifting of body positions and off-loading of pressure will be achieved through a novel, multi-segmented actuator-driven wheelchair system that is capable of new motions not possible with commercially available wheelchairs. Adaptation to a mobile wheelchair with a footprint equivalent to existing wheelchairs will occur as part of this project. Additional work will include automation and an appropriate user interface developed with in-depth user testing. The integration of multi-sensor feedback with an articulating algorithm will enable automatic adjustment of the positions based on sensor output, thus creating an optimal personalized protocol for the user. Off-loading pressure on high risk areas facilitates increased blood perfusion and decreased tissue stresses, directly addressing risk factors associated with pressure injury formation.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.