Multi-objective Optimization of Multi-cells Foam Mattress

Abstract

Body pressure dispersion mattresses are useful tools for preventing pressure ulcers in patients with limited mobility who experience prolonged body weight-related compression loads at their body contact areas over time. The objective of this study is to propose and optimize a multicell finite element (FE) model of foam mattress to prevent patients from developing pressure ulcers (bed sores), by improving the contact pressure distribution on the upper mattress surface and immersion in the mattress. The NSGA-II multi-objective genetic algorithm was used to predict different configurations of cell materials to provide a more comfortable sleep. Our mattress model contains many cells (50 × 50 × 50), each of which can contain one of the nine different foam firmnesses. The NSGA-II algorithm attempts to combine the properties of soft and firm foams into a single mattress. however, the complexity and intersection of the fitness function objectives and the high number of possible chances forced the optimal solutions set to extend into the area under the result of foams that have a compressive strength between soft and firm. Based on the overall optimization results, the standard deviation ranged from 0.00325 to 0.00175 MPa and the maximum mattress immersion ranged from 50 mm to less than 20 mm. Mattresses with optimal configurations disperse body pressure smoothly to fit the patient's body shape.