Smart-e-Pants | Skin Sores Prevention Technology

In my last article I talked about an iphone app that addressed wheelchair weight shifting to help prevent skin sores. That app,  wsTimer, reminded wheelchair users to shift their weight periodically and for how long. Still, having to weight shift dozens of times a day can be tedious and hard to remember to do consistently. Today I came across a new prototype technology from the University of Alberta in Canada that prevents skin sores without weight shifting. Smart-e-Pants are undergarments that stimulate blood flow by sending light electrical currents to the users gluteal area.

Here is a quote from an article on the University of Alberta’s website on how Smart-e-Pants works.

“Smart-e-Pants provide an electrical current for 10 seconds every 10 minutes, stimulating the nerves and muscles to replicate what we do when we ‘fidget’ in our chair,” says Dr. Ming Chan, a rehabilitation medicine specialist for Alberta Health Services at the Glenrose. “Our aim is to prevent pressure ulcers by bringing blood flow and oxygen to the muscles.”

So far 20 people have tested Smart-e-Pants with success and more people are testing the technology. Research and development was funded by Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions for $5 millon. Which is a high dollar amount but according to the article Canada spends $3.5 billion treating pressure ulcers (bed sores). Smart-e-Pants has great potential to improve the health and quality of life for those who are currently susceptible to skin sores. To view video of a recent press conference follow this link from the Calgary Herald. Or watch the youtube video below.