Prevention of pressure ulcers in nursing care

Pressure ulcers are often preventable – yet they remain a major challenge in healthcare. SoreAlert is developing an early warning system using an intelligent sensor patch that continuously monitors high-risk areas and alerts caregivers in time.

Pressure ulcers – a growing challenge in nursing care

Every year, more than 3 million immobile people worldwide develop severe pressure ulcers – including around 400,000 affected individuals in Germany alone. Pressure ulcers cause significant personal suffering and place a major burden on hospitals and long-term care facilities, with treatment costs exceeding €2.5 billion per year. The most important preventive measure is regular repositioning, but it has been difficult to determine the optimal frequency of position changes for each individual patient. As a result, preventive measures are often labour-intensive, inefficient and not continuously monitored.

SoreAlert: AI-powered early warning system with sensor patch

SoreAlert is developing an AI-powered, ultra-thin sensor patch designed as a comprehensive solution for the effective prevention of pressure ulcers. The patch continuously monitors the health of the skin and underlying tissue, and detects critical changes at an early stage – before a wound becomes visible. Rather than focusing on individual risk factors, such as movement or pressure alone, SoreAlert combines multiple vital signs and tissue parameters to assess each patient’s individual risk of developing pressure ulcers. When an increased risk is detected, caregivers are alerted in real time and can take targeted action.

Planned Fraunhofer spin-off with a proven foundation

SoreAlert is a planned spin-off from Fraunhofer EMFT and is based on research results from the KIPRODE project. The underlying technology has already been tested in a clinical feasibility study involving 60 patients. The system consists of a reusable sensor patch with a replaceable adhesive unit, as well as a base station for data transmission and integration into existing care IT systems. SoreAlert is currently still under development, but early prototypes already show great potential to reduce the workload of caregivers through automated monitoring and documentation while sustainably improving patient safety.