Smart Pillow for Recovery after Shoulder Surgery
In the Netherlands, many people visit their GP for shoulder complaints, and many undergo surgery. After surgery, they often experience sleep problems due to the lack of resources for a comfortable sleeping position and pain. This project focuses on developing an innovative, ergonomic pillow with integrated textile pressure sensors. By working together with medical professionals and sleep experts, we aim to improve the sleep quality and aftercare for these patients.
To address this issue, an innovative textile pressure sensor is incorporated into the pillow, which collects real-time data on pressure distribution, body posture and movements during sleep. This sensor, based on soft capacitive measurement principles, detects where and for how long pressure is applied, providing insight into load points and comfort zones. This allows us to optimise the pillow design to provide the right support and reduce possible comfortable or painful pressure points.
This project is an initiative of the Sustainable & Functional Textiles research group.
The project is a collaboration between various areas of expertise: Deventer Hospital provides medical expertise and insight into the specific needs of patients after shoulder surgery. Ducky Dons and Auping contribute their knowledge of sleeping comfort and ergonomics, while the University of Twente is responsible for data analysis. Saxion's Sustainable & Functional Textiles research group focuses on the integration of sensor technology in textiles. Technical embroidery techniques are used to seamlessly incorporate the sensor technology into a flexible, breathable and lightweight textile structure. This ensures that the sensor remains unobtrusive and does not cause any additional inconvenience.
The collected data will be analyzed to identify patterns that may be related to sleeping position and pain perception, which not only contributes to product optimization but also provides valuable insights for medical professionals. The goal is not only to improve sleep quality and aftercare for this patient group, but also to help a broader target group by developing a tailor-made, data-driven solution.
Objective
This research focuses on developing a smart pillow to improve postoperative care and support after shoulder surgery. The goal of the KIEM project is to develop a first working prototype of the smart pillow with an integrated pressure sensor, in collaboration with medical specialists and sleep experts. The data from the pressure sensor will be used in follow-up projects to improve the design of the pillow, for better support of the body and to reduce painful pressure points.
Partners
The project is subsidized by KIEM HighTech of Regieorgaan Sia (HT.KIEM.01.043).