DIY-PressMat: A Smart Sensor Mat for Posture Detection Applicable for Bed-exit Intention Detection, Pressure Ulcer Prevention, and Sleep Apnea Mitigation

In this research, we present a proof-of-concept Do-It-Yourself (DIY) bed sensor mat that is capable to detect five user postures, including: Supine position, Prone position, Lateral position (left), Lateral position (right), and Sitting. Our prototype incorporates two types of sensors: Pressure Tiles and Capacitive Sensing. To gain an impression on the accuracy, we conducted a study with 11 participants and developed a machine learning model showing accuracy of 85% for an unknown user. In fact, nocturnal postures extend to a third of ones lifetime and therefore, a posture detection can be particularly interesting. Enabled application scenarios include pressure ulcer prevention, bed-exit intention detection, diabetes detection, and sleep apnea mitigation.