System to allow off site monitoring of pressure ulcers for patients in a rural long-term care facility

The National Institute on Aging awarded Applied Universal Dynamics, Corp $499,921 on September 20, 2025, under the Aging Research program (CFDA 93.866) to develop a feasibility-stage system for remote monitoring of pressure ulcers in rural long-term care facilities.

The recipient will design and demonstrate a head-mounted display combining miniature thermal and visible-light imaging cameras that enable untrained caregivers to capture wound images for remote assessment by specialists. The system addresses a critical operational constraint in low-income rural nursing homes: individual caregivers typically require both hands to reposition immobile patients, preventing simultaneous image capture. By integrating dual cameras on a hands-free display connected to a smartphone for image transmission, the innovation allows one caregiver to position the patient, aim the imager, and acquire visual and thermal images suitable for clinical evaluation. Thermal imaging alongside visible-light capture accommodates wound assessment across patients with different skin tones, including darkly pigmented skin, improving diagnostic equity for deep pressure tissue injuries in populations where assessment frequency is clinically necessary.

The award funds Phase I feasibility work, with period of performance running through August 31, 2027. Place of performance is Minnesota, where Applied Universal Dynamics, a for-profit small business registered in Loretto, maintains its operations. The assistance type is a Project Grant.

Abstract

This phase I will show the feasibility of an imaging instrument to assist an individual caregiver in monitoring deep pressure tissue injuries (DPTIS). Patients that are immobile, are insensate, choose to not move can develop pressure ulcers (PUS). These PUS should be examined for their skin integrity on a frequent basis. This project will develop a system to allow an untrained caregiver to collect visual and thermal images that provide remote wound assessment. The capture of both visual and thermal images provides the benefit of wound assessment for patients with different skin tones including darkly pigmented skin. For the individual caregiver the practical process of obtaining a digital image is very difficult because they normally would use both hands to reposition the patient to get a good field-of-view of the PU. In low-income rural nursing homes with minimal staff, they may not have the ability to both position a patient into a natural light setting and to operate the camera. The innovation is to combine a very miniature thermal image camera and visible image camera on a low-cost head mounted display. This will allow one caregiver to position the patient, aim the imager and acquire the new image of the PU for remote assessment. A smartphone connected with the head- mounted display would send the images to a wound specialist for the remote clinical assessment.