Flipod simplifies bed rotation for non-ambulant patient to relieve respiratory & bed discomfort due to prolonged static positions while sleeping. This activity currently requires the supervision and help of the caretakers at the expense of their rest. Simplifying the product to a simple pump assembly, two air bags and two magnets, it offers comfort with a personalized positioning of the air bag by magnets, as well as a pulsating inflation sequence to aid dynamic muscle movement during their sleep.

Design Team

Eason Chow Wai Tung, designer

Continuous lateral body rotation during our sleep is important to enable better pulmonary functions and reduced development of pressure sores, as we commonly known as tossing in bed. However, for non-ambulant patients who are not able to perform this task by themselves, they will require the help from their caretakers daily which burdened their rest time.

Hence the project aims to provide non-ambulant patients with the ability to perform continuous lateral rotations independently without the presence of their caretakers. By considering the size and cost factors of the design, it will appeal to the masses.

Improving on a standard

As shown in medical journals, it is understood that the current method of performing Continuous Lateral Body Rotation Therapy(CLRT) can be improved and catered for the masses. Firstly, CLRT performed in hospitals can be brutal and hard to adapt for the non ambulant patients. This is due to the mechanical tossing of patient's body which requires extensive trainings before usage almost represented by a "seasick" effect. Secondly, the current solutions can only perform symmetrical body rotations, which prove to be a limitation for patients with non-uniform body pressure points. Thirdly, they are extremely bulky and undesirable for constrained living spaces.

How it works

Therefore, the project seeks to reinvent the method of performing CLRT with a simple yet gentle bed rotation method. Using a simple lifting force provided by pneumatics, the device consists of a single pump unit and two air bags placed under the patients' body to lift their body on either sides. A repeated alternating and pulsating inflation sequence is considered as a means to mimic the method of manual bed rotations. Subsequently, this cycle will be repeated with a dynamic movement provides a more natural and comfortable effect on the patients as compared to a static inflation sequence.

Non-ambulant patients may require non-uniformed pressure relieving, with the option of applying specific pressure relief to key pressure sore areas. They also require a better rotation axis due to bone deformations e.g. Scoliosis or avoiding open wounds. Therefore, this opens opportunity to explore the spontaneous positioning of air bags to deliver both uniformed and non-uniformed pressure relief.

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