Evaluation of comfort associated with the use of a robotic mattress with an interface pressure mapping system and automatic inner air-cell pressure adjustment function in healthy volunteers.

AIM OF THE STUDY: A robotic mattress equipped with an interface pressure mapping system and an automatic inner air-cell pressure adjustment function had been developed to aid in the management of pressure ulcers, but its effects on comfort remained unclear. The present study aimed to investigate whether use of the mattress with continuous, automatic, interface pressure mapping-based regulation of inner air-cell pressure (i.e., robotic mattress) improves comfort over that provided by body weight-based pressure regulation (traditional approach) in healthy volunteers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A robotic mattress was used with two settings (i.e., interface pressure-vs. body weight-based regulation). First, 20 healthy volunteers were recruited, and the level of comfort, interface pressure distribution, body immersion, and tissue oxygenation were measured and compared between the two settings.

RESULTS: The level of comfort (20.5 vs 47.5, p = 0.014), contact area (2263.9 vs 2145.2 cm2 , p = 0.002), and body immersion for healthy participants were significantly larger when using the interface pressure-based setting.

CONCLUSION: The robotic mattress provided improved comfort, which might be caused by increased contact area, and improved body immersion. The robotic mattress is expected to be effective both for managing pressure ulcers and increasing comfort.