Stretchable printed electronic for pressure ulcer prevention
- Reference number
- FID16-0068
- Start and end dates
- 180101-230331
- Amount granted
- 2 500 000 SEK
- Administrative organization
- RISE Acreo Norrköping
- Research area
- Life Science Technology
Summary
Pressure ulcers are localized skin or tissue damage caused by pressure; these have, in Swedish healthcare, a prevalence of ca. 16 % with costs of ca. 1000 MSEK/year. Assessment of pressure ulcers risks is expected to be strongly improved by coupling check lists (e.g. RAPS-scale) with on-site and in-real time measurement of microcirculation. Unfortunately, this is hindered by a lack of suitable measurement tools, which can conform to the patient’s body while lying in bed. The goal of the Stretch-Light project is to close the gap by developing, with the support of a clinical partner and a stake holder, an elastic PPG (reflective photoplethysmography) measurement patches. The patch will be fabricated by printing of elastic electrical conductors and mounting of rigid components (LEDs, photodiodes, ICs for signal processing) onto a conformable substrate. This final goal will be achieved by: •"Developing low-cost, highly conductive and stable inks for stretchable conductors •"Developing architectures and processes for mounting and encapsulating rigid components onto elastic printed circuit •"Designing and prototyping the PPG measurements patch •"Testing the developed patch in clinical setting Key outcomes of the project will be: know-how on stretchable inks and on fabrication of hybrid printed stretchable electronics and a PPG measurement patch, that will be exploited by the stake holder, with the potentiality to make an impact in Pressure ulcers risk monitoring.
Popular science description
Pressure ulcers (bedsores) are localized skin or tissue damage caused by pressure, typically over bony prominences like coccyx, sacrum or heels, that are due to partial or complete obstruction of blood flow (microcirculation), with subsequent tissue death and sore formation. Pressure ulcers result in great pain, delay in rehabilitation and can be a risk factor for early death. In Sweden, the prevalence of pressure ulcers in health care settings is 16 % and in elderly care 12 % with costs for society that can be estimated in ca. 1000 MSEK/year. Thus, prevention of pressure ulcers can both improve quality of life of patients and reduce costs in the health care system. Currently, check lists (e.g. RAPS-scale) are used for risk assessments of pressure ulcers. Recent studies have shown that reduced microcirculation can be associated to increased risk for developing pressure ulcers. Real time monitoring of microcirculation, when patients are exposed to the pressure from their own body weight, is expected to significantly improve the effectiveness of the risk assessment and thereby enabling preventive actions. Reflective photoplethysmography (PPG) is one of the most promising technological solution in this area; unfortunately its clinical use is currently hindered by the lack of suitable measurement device, which have the ability to conform to the patient’s body while lying in bed. The aim of the Stretch-Light project is to overcome this limitation by developing an elastic PPG measurement patches. The patch will be fabricated by printing of elastic electrical conductors, based on materials developed in the project, and mounting the needed rigid components (LEDs, photodiodes, ICs for signal processing) onto a stretchable and conformable substrate. The resulting patch is expected to have a significant impact on patients (reduced risks of pressure ulcers and associated discomforts) and, in the long term, to society freeing resources that could be allocated to other relevant health and care sectors. In a larger prospective the knowhow acquired as part of the project can be expected to have an impact to Swedish economy by strengthening the positioning of the country in fast growing sector of stretchable electronic and, more in general, in hybrid printed electronic.