An aged care monitoring system that uses RMIT-developed flexible and stretchable sensors embedded in medical-grade mattress covers has been developed, reports RMIT.

The Sleeptite REMi system is designed to alert workers in aged care facilities and residents’ families when a resident are not in bed and for how long, and “how they left the mattress surface”.

In time, Sleeptite wants the technology to be capable of using real-time position tracking to predict and intervene before a fall takes place.

It also has ambitions to use the system to monitor “key vital signs such as oxygen rates and heart rate.”

Development of the system was funded by an Australian Government Cooperative Research Centres – Project grant, RMIT reports.

Sleepeezee Bedding Australia developed the manufacturing process used to mass-produce the sensors.

It is “incredibly exciting to see the sensor we developed leaping out from our lab and into the world, to improve the care of some of our most vulnerable people,” stated Professor Madhu Bhaskaran, co-leader of the Functional Materials and Microsystems Research Group at RMIT.

Aged care field trials are planned, according to RMIT.