Medforall, a healthcare technology company, is dedicated to unifying direct and remote support services to create safer, more inclusive communities through innovative technology and compassionate care. Their team identified a groundbreaking solution to enhance nighttime safety for individuals with developmental disabilities and other complex needs using AI-driven thermal monitoring. This system provides real-time information and detects potentially harmful events during overnight hours when in-home caregivers may be unavailable. Supported by a state grant through the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, Medforall was tasked with demonstrating the effectiveness of this technology within a set timeframe. To meet this challenge, they engaged Design Central to design and develop over 20 custom prototypes to demonstrate, study, and fuel innovation in remote sleep monitoring.
At the core of this innovation is the ability to capture critical data while ensuring user privacy. The thermal sensors detect temperature variations, heart rate, respiratory frequency, and involuntary movements such as vomiting—without capturing identifiable facial features or environmental details. However, achieving accurate data collection with cost-effective, privacy-focused sensors presented a unique challenge: maintaining an optimal sensor position to ensure reliable monitoring while minimizing interference from user movement. The collaborative process meant our team would build a deep understanding of real-world use cases, sensor performance characteristics, and user preferences. Our team worked closely with Medforall to determine optimal installation details that would maximize thermal detection accuracy while preventing tampering or obstruction during sleep.
The iterative nature of our collaboration with Medforall provided invaluable real-time insights throughout their Sleep & Safety study, allowing us to refine the modular system based on observed user behaviors. Various scenarios emerged during deployment, including individuals moving between the bed and floor, shifting sleeping positions, and covering the sensor with objects during the day. These discoveries informed critical design adjustments to improve adaptability in various home environments.
To meet the project's tight timeline and budget constraints, our team leveraged rapid prototyping. Instead of designing for large-scale manufacturing, we focused on agile development—sourcing materials, fabricating components, and iterating on designs directly within our studio. This approach enabled us to quickly test preliminary solutions, gather feedback from Medforall, and refine prototypes before installing them in each new Sleep & Safety study participant’s home. By integrating Medforall’s technology with our expertise in industrial design and engineering, we delivered an effective avenue for research that supported Medforall on the path to transform remote support monitoring.