Fiber Optic Based Patient Alert Bed System

From PDI

This is an idea I had when my wife first entered the hospital for alcohol detoxification for the first time, and aspirated on her own vomit. Because the nursing staff was so depleted, the hospital tied her to a bed. As a result, she was in intensive care under 24 hour observation for 2 weeks.

The idea is based upon the use of fiber optics in a polyester, or other synthetic fabric cover that would be positioned right under the patient while the patient is in the bed. The patient's weight bends the fiber optics embedded in the cover under the patient and causes some phase change in a light that is inputted into the fiber. The microprocessor control would emit, some coherent or non-coherent light into the fiber, and look at the time domain reflection, as well as the attenuation of the light coming from the final end of the fiber optic cable.