DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF A DEVICE FOR MEASUREMENT OF INTERFACE PRESSURE

An electropneumatic device has been designed to measure the interface pressure profile under compression bandages. The device uses commercia lly available pneumatic sensors (Talley Group Ltd, SJ235/3) and measur es interface pressure at up to eight sites simultaneously along the lo wer limb, with an accuracy of +/- 3 mmHg. Measurements can be made in one of two modes: continuously at a rate of up to three samples per se cond with the results output to a suitable display device, or single m easurements of interface pressure can be made and displayed on a digit al display incorporated in the device. This enables the monitoring and recording of interface pressure under compression bandages during eit her ambulation or passive recumbency. The electropneumatic system is d escribed together with its following characteristics: the hysteresis o f the Talley pneumatic sensors, the accuracy of pressure measurement a nd the maximum achievable sample rate. Dynamic measurements in a singl e normal volunteer are shown.