Occupational Therapists currently use pressure garments to apply deep pressure input to the bodies of children with sensory modulation or processing disorders. There are two main problems with the pressure vests currently available, consistency and repetitive manual application. The Smart Hug inflatable pressure vest aims to solve these problems by automating the process of applying and removing the vest making the amount of pressure a child receives consistent and repeatable day to day. An additional goal of the technology is to begin collecting data about how much pressure children need, and to analyze the benefits of pressure garments in therapeutic use.
Background:
Occupational
Therapists use neoprene pressure vests to apply deep pressure input
to the bodies of children with sensory modulation or processing disorders.
Pressure vests in particular are often used in school settings to help
the child to improve concentration and attention span, eye contact,
and to decrease self stimulatory behavior through the regular use of
circumferential pressure to the torso. The vest aids the proprioceptive
sense, allowing the child to better understand the relationship between
his body and the environment. The vest also helps in the regulation
of the arousal level of the child, which is important for optimal performance
in the classroom. The pressure vests currently on the market are made
of neoprene and are manually strapped tightly on the body of the child.
Vests are commonly used in 20 - 40 minute intervals, depending on the
child's need. They are used repeatedly throughout the day. The idea
behind the Smart Hug is to automate that process, saving therapists
the hassle of repeatedly strapping on and removing the vest and allowing
easier carryover for use in the classroom throughout the day.
What is the
problem?
There are two main problems with the pressure vests
currently available, consistency and repetitive manual application.
Because these vests do not incorporate a sensing mechanism to inform
the therapist of how much pressure they are applying, application relies
on the therapist's intuition and subjective measure, such as placing
a finger between the vest and the child's body to "feel" the pressure.
This means that the actual amount of pressure applied to the body is
unknown and is likely to be inconsistent between sessions. Additionally,
because tools are not readily available for measuring this pressure
against the body, little quantitative research has been done into the
amount of pressure children require and the benefits thereof.
The second problem is the manual nature of applying and removing the
vest. Because vests are used in 20-40 minute intervals throughout the
day, the therapist or teacher is put in the position of timing the child's
use. This requires not only remembering to change the vest but also
stopping the flow of classroom activity to apply or remove it.
How does
Smart Hug solve these problems?
The Smart Hug project solves these problems through electronic automation,
regulation and sensing. It provides deep pressure in exact programmed
cycles, consistently and without interruption.
How does
it work?
The therapist applies the vest to the child and
pushes the program switch to the on position, causing the vest to inflate.
When the inflation reaches a comfortable point the program button is
switched to the off position and a measurement is taken recording how
much the vest has inflated. This is stored as the programmed pressure
to inflate to on further iterations.
The next step is to decide how long the vest should be inflated and
deflated to, probably somewhere between 20 and 40 minutes. The value
is selected on two seperate knobs.
Finally, push the start switch to the on position and the vest will
do its work. At the end of the day switch the vest to off. It will deflate
and be ready for use the next day. The pressure value is stored in EEPROM
so there is no need to reprogram the vest if it is used on the same
patient day to day.
Who could
use a Smart Hug?
Children with
sensory integration disorders.
Common characteristics of these children include hyperactivity, whirling,
falling, crashing into objects, pushing, squeezing, liking tight swaddles,
being easily distracted, stamping or slapping their feet on the ground
while walking, rubbing hands, biting fingers, jumping, pushing, and
general restlessness.
Future goals?
Testing, testing, testing. Our primary goal is to help Occupational
Therapists research the answers to questions such as how much pressure
is needed, when and for how long.
More detailed
and technical information available in our
online paper
