Abstract: The enclosed describes a sensor pad for wearing on a human body. The sensor pad is configured to be in contact with a substrate having a contoured surface, such as a surface of the body. The sensor pad comprises at least a sensor layer and a stiffener layer. The sensor layer comprises a surface area defining a sensing area configured to measure value at a plurality of locations of the sensing area. The stiffener layer is couples to the surface area of the sensor layer. The stiffener layer has a micro-cut pattern to reduce mechanical resistance of the stiffener layer. The micro-cut pattern facilitates the stiffener layer in stretching or compressing in one or more predefined directions, enabling the stiffener lay to conform to the contoured surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A seat for a pedal-powered vehicle is described. The seat includes a support frame, a seat element and a nose. The seat element and the nose are implemented as separated components and are supported by the support frame. The seat element is configured to support at least part of a rider's weight. The seat element carries a pressure-relieving region that is configured to be located at a location corresponding to an ischial tuberosity (IT) of the rider, thereby relieving pressure exerted on the rider's IT's.

Abstract: An ISS is a seating system that actively adjusts to improve an occupant's comfort, performance, and safety in a specific driving environment. The ISS determines the occupant's posture, position on the seat surface, and/or physiological state, for example, by applying a machine vision process. The ISS can further determine a driving environment. The ISS adjusts its settings and settings of the vehicle according to one or more factors such as an occupant's posture, the occupant's physiological state, the occupant's preferences, and/or the driving environment. The ISS can include a state machine that determines a current state and determines if a change has occurred such that the system should shift to another state that best suits this change. The ISS makes adjustment according to system settings associated with the best suitable state.

Abstract: A seat for a pedal-powered vehicle is described. The seat includes a support frame, a seat element and a nose. The seat element and the nose are implemented as separated components and are supported by the support frame. The seat element is configured to support at least part of a rider's weight. The seat element carries a pressure-relieving region that is configured to be located at a location corresponding to an ischial tuberosity (IT) of the rider, thereby relieving pressure exerted on the rider's IT's.

Abstract: A seat for a pedal-powered vehicle includes a support frame, a left seat element, a right seat element, and a nose. The left and right seat elements and the nose are implemented as separate components supported by the support frame. The two seat elements support a seated rider's weight while the nose does not. The seat elements and the nose form a gap below the seated rider's perineum area. The seat elements pivot forwards and backwards when the seated rider is pedaling. The seat elements counter-pivot when the seated rider is pedaling. Each seat element includes a concave surface that supports the seated rider.

Abstract: An ISS is a seating system that actively adjusts to improve an occupant's comfort, performance, and safety in a specific driving environment. The ISS determines the occupant's posture, position on the seat surface, and/or physiological state, for example, by applying a machine vision process. The ISS can further determine a driving environment. The ISS adjusts its settings and settings of the vehicle according to one or more factors such as an occupant's posture, the occupant's physiological state, the occupant's preferences, and/or the driving environment. The ISS can include a state machine that determines a current state and determines if a change has occurred such that the system should shift to another state that best suits this change. The ISS makes adjustment according to system settings associated with the best suitable state.

Abstract: A seat for a pedal-powered vehicle includes a support frame, a left seat element, a right seat element, and a nose. The left and right seat elements and the nose are implemented as separate components supported by the support frame. The two seat elements support a seated rider's weight while the nose does not. The seat elements and the nose form a gap below the seated rider's perineum area. The seat elements pivot forwards and backwards when the seated rider is pedaling. The seat elements counter-pivot when the seated rider is pedaling. Each seat element includes a concave surface that supports the seated rider.

Abstract: A bedding system uses a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based machine vision to makes adjustments for comfort and/or support. The machine vision process identities a body position by using a trained CNN that receives a pressure image and identifies a body position. The body position may be determined by classifying the pressure image into a predetermined body position classification. The machine vision process includes at least one trained CNN that determines joint locations. The machine vision tracks pressure accumulated at joints over time.

Abstract: Sleep environment control systems adjust sleep environments independently for individual users. A sleep environment control system delivers multiple environment adjustments via one opening to a user supported by a mattress. The environment adjustments include airflow, water vapor, light, and sound. The sleep environment control system can be placed in adjacent to the mattress thereby to deliver the environment adjustments to the user. The environment adjustments are delivered to the user in a localized fashion such that they do not disrupt other users. The sleep environment control system further generates the one or more environment adjustments.

Abstract: An ISS is a seating system that actively adjusts to improve an occupant's comfort, performance, and safety in a specific driving environment. The ISS determines the occupant's posture, position on the seat surface, and/or physiological state, for example, by applying a machine vision process. The ISS can further determine a driving environment. The ISS adjusts its settings and settings of the vehicle according to one or more factors such as an occupant's posture, the occupant's physiological state, the occupant's preferences, and/or the driving environment. The ISS can include a state machine that determines a current state and determines if a change has occurred such that the system should shift to another state that best suits this change. The ISS makes adjustment according to system settings associated with the best suitable state.

Abstract: An improved sleep system includes an actively responsive bed and mattress combination. The system adjusts the contour and microclimate of the mattress surface, in addition to the ambient conditions of the sleep environment based on the user's preferences and physiological state. A variety of technologies are integrated into the sleep system in order to determine the settings for an improved sleep environment, and automatically adjust the mattress firmness, bed surface temperature, humidity, and/or ambient light and sound.

Abstract: A process makes electrical connections between electrical wires and flexible conductive elements, such as conductive fabrics. The process makes strong electrical connections that are mechanically flexible and can simultaneously create multiple electrical connections. The process involves creating an assembly that includes at least a TPE layer, an electrical wire, an insulating layer, and a flexible conductive element, and applying heat and pressure to the assembly. For example, a conductive fabric is disposed on an insulating layer, a wire is positioned onto a surface of the insulating layer, and a TPE layer is disposed over the wire and overlaps the conductive fabric element. When applying the heat and pressure, the wire melts through the insulating layer to make electrical contact with the conductive fabric element, and the TPE layer conforms to an exterior of the wire and bonds to the insulating layer.

Abstract: A bedding system uses machine vision to makes adjustments for comfort and/or support. In one aspect, a pressure mapping engine measures a two-dimensional pressure image of a sleeper on the bedding system while the sleeper is sleeping on the bedding system. A machine vision process analyzes the pressure image. A comfort and support engine adjusts a comfort and/or support of the bedding system based on the machine vision analysis.

Abstract: A pressure sensor measures the surface pressure distribution of a body supported by a surface, for example a person lying on a mattress. In one approach, a pressure mapping system acquires a customer's pressure map using a reference mattress and presents this pressure data in the form of a pressure map. The pressure map measurement data is then analyzed to determine body characterizing parameters such as body mass index, contact area and average peak pressure. The pressure map measurements are then located on a mattress category grid that has been referenced and aligned to a large population sample of measurements taken with a reference mattress. Alternatively, the pressure map measurements are matched to a physical profile category within a database. Each category provides ranked mattress recommendations based on selection and ranking criteria derived from pressure map data obtained from a large sample of test subjects.

Abstract: A pressure sensor measures the surface pressure distribution of a body supported by a surface, for example a person sitting on an automotive seating. In one approach, a pressure mapping system presents this pressure data in the form of a pressure map. The pressure map can be aligned to an image of the automotive seating including measurement zones of interest. The measurement zones of interest are mapped onto a human body model, which may include various body zones. In this way, the pressure distribution on different body zones can be visualized and interpreted to assess the performance of the automotive seating.

Abstract: A pressure sensor carrier system of fasteners is provided for conveniently and removably attaching a pressure sensor carrier to the top surface of a bed mattress in a manner that minimizes stress concentrations, wrinkles and folds in the carrier. The carrier includes pliable elastic straps at each corner and articulated semi-rigid flaps at each longitudinal side. The tension in the elastic straps and the position of the articulated flaps are independently adjustable to accommodate mattresses of different dimensions.

Abstract: A method for modelling pressure exposure and/or the risk of pressure ulcer formation includes steps of using pressure sensors to derive pressure exposure or risk values and displaying the pressure exposure or risk values in a graphical manner to a user. Computer-implemented systems includes a pressure-sensing interface mat and components for implementing the steps of the methods.

Abstract: A pressure sensor is used to automatically calculate physical parameters of a tire, for example, groove area fraction or shoulder center ratio. In one approach, a pressure sensor measures the pressure distribution produced by a tire when a known load is applied to the tire while it is resting on or traversing the pressure sensor. The resulting pressure map corresponds to tread area and features of the tread contact area.

Abstract: A capacitance pressure mapping system includes a plurality of sensor cells created by the intersection of electrode columns and rows, and a solid elastomer dielectric separating the electrode columns and rows. The elastomer is at least one planar sheet having a surface comprising a pattern of projections. The pattern of projections may include two or more different types of projections, for example projections of different shapes (geometries) and/or sizes (height, width).

Abstract: A pressure sensor carrier system of fasteners is provided for conveniently and removably attaching a pressure sensor carrier to the top surface of a bed mattress in a manner that minimizes stress concentrations, wrinkles and folds in the carrier. The carrier includes pliable elastic straps at each corner and articulated semi-rigid flaps at each longitudinal side. The tension in the elastic straps and the position of the articulated flaps are independently adjustable to accommodate mattresses of different dimensions.