Method and system for determining the location of a fecal insult

Abstract

A method for determining the location of a fecal insult, includes: detecting the concentration of at least one gas indicative of feces at a plurality of locations in a defined space; and determining whether said concentration of said gas exceeds a predetermined first threshold value. The method includes: detecting the concentration of hydrogen gas at each of said locations; detecting the concentration of at least one further gas component being indicative of feces in said space; and determining that a fecal insult has occurred in a location where said detected concentration of hydrogen gas exceeds said first threshold value, provided that the detected concentration of said further gas component also exceeds a predetermined second threshold value in said location.

Claims

1. A method for determining a location of a fecal insult, comprising: detecting, by one of at least two first sensors, a concentration of hydrogen gas, which is at least one gas indicative of feces, each of the at least two first sensors at different ones of a first plurality of locations in a defined space; determining whether said concentration of hydrogen gas exceeds a predetermined first threshold value; detecting, by at least one second sensor, a concentration of at least one further gas component being indicative of feces, each of the at least one second sensor in said defined space, wherein said further gas component comprises at least one of an organic compound and hydrogen sulphide; and determining that a fecal insult has occurred in one of said first plurality of locations, which occurs where said concentration of hydrogen gas exceeds said first threshold value, provided that said concentration of said further gas component also exceeds a predetermined second threshold value, wherein there are fewer of said second sensors than said first sensors in said defined space.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the concentration of said further gas component occurs at an equal distance from each of said first plurality of locations where hydrogen gas is detected.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein it is determined that a fecal insult has occurred in one of said first plurality of locations when said concentration of hydrogen gas has exceeded said first threshold value during a predetermined time period and said concentration of said further gas component has exceeded said second threshold value during a predetermined second time period.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprises: assigning a weight value for each of said concentration of hydrogen gas and said concentration of the further gas component before determining whether a fecal insult has occurred.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first plurality of locations and location of said at least one second sensor in said defined space are at a predetermined distance from each other, which is longer than the radial distance that hydrogen gas may travel from its source of origin before a concentration of hydrogen is no longer detectable.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprises: registering said location of said fecal insult in a receiving unit.

7. A system for determining a location of a fecal insult, comprising: a plurality of first gas sensors for detecting the concentration of at least one gas indicative of feces at a first plurality of locations in a defined space; at least one further gas sensor for detecting the concentration of at least one further gas component being indicative of feces in said defined space at a second location, wherein said further gas component comprises at least one of an organic compound and hydrogen sulphide; and a receiver unit for determining whether said concentration of said gas exceeds a predetermined first threshold value, wherein said plurality of first gas sensors are configured for detecting said concentration of hydrogen gas at each of said first plurality of locations, wherein said receiver unit is configured to determine that a fecal insult has occurred in a location where said detected concentration of hydrogen gas exceeds said first threshold value, provided that the detected concentration of said further gas component also exceeds a predetermined second threshold value, and wherein there are fewer of said second sensors than said first sensors in said defined space.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the receiver unit comprises an indicator for providing visual or aural information as to the location where feces have been detected.

9. The system according to claim 7, further comprises a remote server unit connectable to said receiving unit and for storing information from said gas sensors.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein said at least one further sensor unit is arranged an equal distance from each of said locations of said plurality of first sensors.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments of the invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a hospital room provided with a system according to an embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a hospital room provided with a system according to an alternative embodiment of the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 is a diagram explaining principles exemplified by embodiments of the invention;

(5) FIG. 4 shows principles exemplified by embodiments of the invention with regard to a network of data communication;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of a plurality of rooms being configured in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and

(7) FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of a public washroom provided with a system according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

(8) FIG. 1 shows a view from above of a defined space 1, exemplified by a hospital room, in which four beds 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d are arranged. The beds 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d are for the use of bed confined patients, who in this embodiment suffer from urinal and/or fecal incontinence and therefore wear sanitary articles, such as absorbent incontinence pads or diapers. Further, according to the embodiment, it can be expected that the patients cannot themselves change their sanitary article and possibly also cannot communicate the need to change the sanitary article following a urinal or fecal insult.

(9) A first type of gas sensor 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, suitably including a gas sensor which may detect the presence of at least one gas which is indicative of feces, is arranged in, or in the vicinity of, each bed 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d. In accordance with the embodiment, the gas sensors 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d are sensitive to hydrogen gas. This means that the gas sensors 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d can be used for detecting the concentration of a hydrogen gas component following an occurrence of a fecal insult by any of the patients in the respective bed 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d.

(10) In the embodiment, a fecal insult has occurred in bed 2a. A further sensor unit 4, being able to detect gas components indicative of feces other than hydrogen e.g. hydrogen sulfide and/or heavy organic compounds, is arranged in a location generally in the centre of the room 1.

(11) In the following, the principles exemplified by embodiments of the invention will be described with the assumption that a fecal insult has occurred in the bed indicated with reference numeral 2a. As a result of the fecal insult in the bed 2a, gas including a variety of components from the feces is emitted in the hospital room 1. Hydrogen gas is instantly spreading in a distribution area 5 around the bed 2a. Due to the volatility of hydrogen gas, the distribution area 5 of hydrogen gas is relatively small. Also, other gas components indicative of the presence of feces, such as heavier organic compounds and hydrogen sulfide, are also spreading in the room 1. However, due to the fact that the heavy organic compounds and hydrogen sulfide are heavier, they have a tendency to spread out more slowly and in a more widespread distribution area, which is indicated by reference numeral 6 in FIG. 1. Consequently the distribution area 5 of hydrogen gas is substantially smaller than the distribution area 6 of heavy organic compounds and hydrogen sulfide.

(12) The two types of gases-i.e. hydrogen gas on the one hand and heavy organic compounds and hydrogen sulfide on the other hand-spread out in different ways in the event of a fecal insult. According to embodiments of the method, the fecal insult which has occurred in the bed 2a will give rise to hydrogen gas which is detected by the hydrogen gas sensor 3a arranged at the bed 2a in the hospital room 1. If the detected hydrogen gas concentration is above a predetermined threshold value for hydrogen gas, this is determined to correspond to a fecal insult. In other words, if the hydrogen gas concentration detected by means of the gas sensor 3a if higher than a predetermined threshold level which corresponds to the expected level resulting from a fecal insult, the gas sensor 3a interprets this as a fecal insult. In order to obtain a more reliable and accurate result, the second gas sensor 4 for heavy organic compounds and hydrogen sulfide is also used to detect a further gas concentration.

(13) Due to the fact that heavy organic compounds and hydrogen sulfide spread out more widely into the area 6, they can be detected by means of the second gas sensor 4 which is positioned generally in the centre of the room 1. If the gas concentration detected by means of the second gas sensor 4 is higher than a predetermined threshold level which corresponds to the expected level resulting from a fecal insult, the second gas sensor 4 interprets this as a fecal insult.

(14) In one aspect, the method includes assigning a weight value for each of the concentration values of hydrogen gas and a further gas component before determining that feces is present in a location. Thereby, the presence of hydrogen gas components may be given more importance than the further gas component. This also means that the combined readings from the first gas sensor 3a and the second gas sensor 4 can be used to obtain a reliable and accurate indication as to the location of the fecal insult, i.e. the bed 2a.

(15) The presence of a further gas component, e.g. hydrogen sulfide, is consequently used as a confirmation that the source of hydrogen gas component is indeed a fecal insult.

(16) According to the embodiment, the further gas sensor 4 is arranged at equal distance to the locations where hydrogen gas can be expected to be detected, i.e. the location of the hydrogen gas sensors 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d which are arranged at each bed 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d. Thereby, further gas sensor 4 is arranged within the area of distribution 6 of further gas originating from feces at each bed 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, but out of the distribution area 5 of hydrogen gas originating from feces at each bed 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d.

(17) FIG. 2 is a view of an embodiment which generally corresponds to FIG. 1 and which includes a first type of gas sensor 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, suitably including a gas sensor which may detect the presence of at least one gas which is indicative of feces, is arranged in, or in the vicinity of, each bed 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d. In accordance with the embodiment, the gas sensors 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d are sensitive to hydrogen gas. Furthermore, the embodiment shows a second type of gas sensor 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, being able to detect gas components indicative of feces other than hydrogen e.g. hydrogen sulfide and/heavy organic compounds.

(18) As shown in FIG. 2, a gas sensor unit is formed at each bed 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, i.e. consisting of a first gas sensor and second gas sensor combined together. Suitably, with reference to the first bed 2a, this is implemented in the form of an integrated gas sensor unit comprising one hydrogen sensor 3a and one further sensor 4a for heavy organic compounds and/or hydrogen sulfide. Similar arrangements are implemented in, or in close vicinity of, the other beds 2b, 2c, 2d.

(19) It should be mentioned that in many cases, only one location is normally needed for detecting the further gas component. This is due to the distribution properties of the further gas component. However, FIG. 2 shows a possible variation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

(20) Consequently, the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 shows four distributed sensors 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d instead of one single sensor positioned generally in the centre of the room 1, as shown in FIG. 1.

(21) If a fecal insult occurs in the first bed 2a, hydrogen gas will spread out in a distribution area 5, which is relatively small due to the volatile nature of hydrogen gas. Also, as explained above, heavy organic compounds and hydrogen sulfide are also spread out, but over a larger area 6.

(22) If the detected hydrogen gas concentration, as detected by the first gas sensor 3a, is above a predetermined threshold value for hydrogen gas, this is determined to correspond to a fecal insult. Also, if the detected gas concentration by means of the second gas sensor 4a (at the first bed 2a) is higher than a predetermined threshold level which corresponds to the expected level resulting from a fecal insult, the second gas sensor 4a interprets this as a fecal insult. The combined reading from both sensor stating that the conditions for determining that a fecal insult has occurred is consequently a reliable and accurate solution.

(23) The hydrogen gas in the room 1 can also be detected by the other hydrogen gas sensors 3b, 3c, 3d, but the concentrations are below the first threshold value. The further gas components, i.e. heavy organic compounds and hydrogen sulfide, can be detected by the second sensor 4a. It can be noted that in the situation shown in FIG. 2, the area 6 over which the organic compounds and hydrogen sulfide are spread also covers the sensor units at the second bed 2b and the second 2c. This means that the sensors for organic compounds and hydrogen sulfide at the second bed 2b and third bed 2c, i.e. the sensors indicated by reference numerals 4b and 4c, respectively, may detect a gas concentration which may exceed the above-mentioned threshold value. However, the hydrogen gas has a relatively small distribution area 5 and organic compounds and hydrogen sulfide has a relatively large distribution area 6, which in this case means that if the first sensor 3a at the first bed 2a and the second sensor 4a at the first bed 2a both indicate that the gas concentrations is above the relevant threshold levels, an indication of a fecal insult at the first bed 2a can be issued.

(24) In particular embodiments, the distance between each one of the first sensors 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d is greater than the expected distance over which the volatile hydrogen gas may spread.

(25) FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the gas concentrations as measured by the first gas sensor 3a and the second gas sensor 4 shown in FIG. 1 (alternatively the second gas sensor 4a shown in FIG. 2). A first curve 7 indicates the concentration c.sub.1 of hydrogen gas as detected by the first sensor 3a a result of a fecal insult, whereas a second curve 8 indicates the concentration c.sub.2 of heavy compounds and hydrogen sulfide, as detected by the second sensor 4 (alternatively 4a).

(26) If the hydrogen gas concentration c.sub.1 exceeds a predetermined threshold value c.sub.T1 at least a predetermined first time period t.sub.1, this is an indication of a fecal insult. Also, if the concentration c.sub.2 of organic compounds and hydrogen sulfide exceeds a predetermined second threshold value c.sub.T2 during a second time period t.sub.2, this is regarded as a fecal insult. A fecal insult is deemed to have occurred if said detected concentration c.sub.1 of hydrogen gas exceeds said first threshold value c.sub.T1, provided that the detected concentration c.sub.2 of said further gas component also exceeds a predetermined second threshold value c.sub.T2 in said location 2a.

(27) When the gas components are detected over a predetermined period of time, it is possible to rule out that the source of the gas components is an intestinal gas release, e.g. passing wind, or other sources. Gas from passing wind does not linger in the defined space for as long as the gas components from a fecal insult, and may thus be distinguishable from each other.

(28) In another example, not shown, a fecal insult has occurred in beds 2a and 2b. A concentration of hydrogen gas above a first threshold is subsequently detected by the sensors 3a, 3b arranged at the two beds 2a, 2b. The concentrations of hydrogen gas detected by the remaining sensors 3c, 3d are below the first threshold value. The concentration of gas detected by the further sensor 4 is above a second threshold value and thus confirms the presence of feces in the hospital room 1. Thereby, feces is determined to the two locations where the detected concentration of hydrogen gas exceeds the first threshold value, i.e. fecal insults are located to be present in beds 2a and bed 2b respectively.

(29) FIG. 4 shows the principles of a system according to an embodiment of the invention. The system shown in FIG. 4 corresponds to FIG. 1 but shows merely the first gas sensors 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d and the second sensor 4. All these sensors 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 4 are arranged to communicate with a receiver unit 9 which can be a data communication unit which is arranged in the vicinity of the sensors 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 4. In particular embodiments, the connection between the sensors 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 4 and the receiver unit 9 is wireless, and can be based on suitable wireless technology such as Bluetooth or Zigbee. Such nearfield communication technologies are well-known to the skilled person, and for this reason they are not described in greater detail here.

(30) The system is suitably implemented so that the sensors 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 4 transmit their measurements regarding the gas concentrations, as mentioned above, to the receiver unit 9. The receiver unit 9 is then configured for determining whether the gas concentrations for hydrogen gas, heavy organic compounds and hydrogen sulfide exceed their predetermined associated threshold values.

(31) Furthermore, the receiving unit 9 may include an indicator for providing visual or aural information as to the location where the fecal insult has occurred, such that the information is readily and easily conveyed to the user. The receiving unit 9 may be arranged in the room 1, or outside the room 1. The system may further include a remote server unit 10 connectable to the receiving unit 9 and for storing information from the gas sensors 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 4. Thereby, statistics concerning fecal insults may be saved. The compiled information may also be used for planning staffing, rounds, logistics etc. It is also plausible that the remote server unit 10 or the receiver unit 9, or both, is connected to a mobile unit 11, such as a mobile phone or tablet computer. The user of the mobile units may then receive instant information from the sensors, e.g. the location of a fecal insult directly following the time of the insult. Also, the mobile unit 11 is provided with an alarm system which provides a signal when a fecal insult has occurred. The user of the mobile unit 10, e.g. a caregiver, may thus be notified that a fecal incident has occurred in a specific location (2a), and go there to change the sanitary article of the person in the bed 2a in question. The receiving unit 9 may also be a mobile phone or tablet computer.

(32) FIG. 5 shows a plurality of hospital rooms 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e and also indicates a larger network solution in which embodiments of the invention can be implemented. This means that each room 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e has a number of receiver units, or data collecting units, as will be described below. These receiver units communicate with a number of gas sensors (not shown in FIG. 5) in each room as described above.

(33) In order to explain the principles of embodiments of the invention, FIG. 5 shows different types of arrangements for said receiver units. More precisely, the first room 1a has a receiver unit 9a which is positioned inside the room 1a and which communicates with sensors within said room 1a. The second room 1b has a similar receiver unit 9b which is also positioned inside said room 1b. Furthermore, the third room 1c has a number of receiver units 9c1, 9c2, 9c3, 9c4, which are positioned at each corresponding bed 3c1, 3c2, 3c3, 3c4 and which communicate with gas sensors arranged at each bed as explained above with reference to FIG. 1 or FIG. 2.

(34) Furthermore, the fourth room 1d has a receiver unit 9d which is positioned outside said room 1d. Similarly, the fifth room 1e has a receiver unit 9e which is positioned outside said room 1e.

(35) All receiver units 9 are suitably configured for collecting sensor data and for transmitting said sensor data to a remote server unit 10 which is arranged for storing information from all the gas sensors within the network. As mentioned above, the compiled information may be used for example for planning staffing and logistics. The remote server unit 10 or the receiver units 9, or both, are suitably connected to a mobile unit 11, such as a mobile phone or tablet computer.

(36) According to an embodiment, the receiver units 9c1, 9c2, 9c3, 9c4 in the third room 1c are arranged as a daisy chain, i.e. according to a scheme in which the data signals are transmitted in a sequence from a first receiver unit to a last one, in a ring or chain, wherein a last one of the receiver units (i.e. receiver unit 9c3 in FIG. 5) is configured to communicate with an external network and the remote server 10.

(37) One benefit of using the system in hospital rooms is thus that a staff member managing the diaper changes of the patients in the hospital room does not have to perform manual inspection of patients, but receives accurate and reliable information concerning the location of fecal insults from a receiver unit. Manual labor may consequently be saved.

(38) The principles of embodiments of the invention can be implemented in larger networks including different facilities, for example several hospitals or similar sites. In such case, a number of rooms or departments can be connected in a network, for example in the form of a wireless data communication network, in order to allow detection fecal insults and for transmitting related information to one or more remote, central servers. Such communication may allow, for example, planning of staff, care of patients and cleaning operations in an efficient and centralized manner.

(39) FIG. 6 shows another example of an embodiment of the present invention. In the example, the defined space 12 is represented by a public washroom including three cubicles 13a, 13b, 13c. Hydrogen gas sensors 14a, 14b, 14c are arranged at each cubicle 13a, 13b, 13c and a further gas sensor 15 is arranged at a distance from each hydrogen sensor 14a, 14b, 14c. A fecal insult may be determined to the location of the hydrogen gas sensor 14a, 14b, 14c which detects a concentration of hydrogen within a distribution area 16 for hydrogen gas. If the concentration of hydrogen gas exceeds a first threshold value, this is regarded as a detection of feces, if confirmed by detection of a further gas determined by the further sensor 15. In this regard, the distribution area of the heavy organic compounds and the hydrogen sulfide is represented by means of reference numeral 17 in FIG. 5.

(40) The threshold value of the concentration of hydrogen gas will be set to a concentration level of hydrogen gas which is expected to be present in a cubical 12a, 12b, 12c after a fecal insult occurred in the same cubicle 12a, 12b, 12c. The further gas sensor 15 may be arranged anywhere in the room, independently of the placement of the hydrogen sensors because the further gas, such as hydrogen sulfide, spreads widely and lingers due to its properties.

(41) The location of feces may be registered by a receiving unit (not shown) in the same manner as descibed with reference to FIG. 4, and thereby visibly or audibly available to a user, e.g. a cleaner. One benefit of using the system in a public washroom is thus to provide reliable and up-to-date information regarding the location of fecal insult occurrences to the personnel of a public washroom.

(42) The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above but can be varied within the scope of the appended claims.