Live ChatA Mattress Sensor is a device that senses the pressure (or temperature) distribution between a person’s body and the mattress surface. Mattress sensors are commonly used by manufacturers to help design their products for maximum comfort. Retailers use the devices to help customers select mattresses appropriate to their body types and weights. They are used in hospitals and nursing homes to determine whether patients are in their beds. Sensors are also used in cribs to monitor the motion of babies.
Sensor Products manufactures the Tactilus® Bodyfitter® mattress sensor system. This system is the most economical, scientific, and user-friendly system for surface pressure mapping available today.
When a person lies on a mattress (See Figure 1.), Bodyfitter® captures data from a series of sensor points arrayed over the mattress surface. These data are processed using a powerful Windows®-based software program that generates colorized pressure maps (See Figure 2.) and detailed statistical reports.
Tactilus® is matrix-based, tactile surface sensor that works by the principle of piezoresistance. Tiny sensing cells cover the entire surface area of the sensor skin, allowing for discrete spot pressure analysis at any point in the contact region. The Tactilus® Bodyfitter® system offers the dual capability of measuring both pressure and temperature distribution. Figure 3 shows the temperature distribution between a body and mattress. Thermistors are used for sensing the temperature.
Fig 1: Bodyfitter® sensor on a mattress in a retail environment
Fig 2: Characterization of surface pressure of a person on a mattress
Fig 3: Characterization of surface temperature of a person on a mattress