Smart seat monitoring system

A method of monitoring a subject in a seat comprising:

• collecting with a computer data from a smart seat system when a subject is seated in the smart seat system, the smart seat system comprising:
• a first layer of one or more fluid bladders packaged within a seat cushion;
• a pump in fluid communication with the first layer, the pump operable to increase fluid pressure of each bladder within the first layer;
• and
• an array of one or more sensors in fluid communication with the first layer and operative to sense pressure and pressure changes within each bladder within the first layer;
• wherein the data comprises one or more of:
• absolute pressure of the one or more fluid bladders over time;
• at least one of a heart rate and a respiration rate of the subject over time based on a first range of pressure changes in at least one of the one or more bladders;
• length of sitting episodes of the subject in the seat over time;
• and
• shifting of the subject in the seat during the sitting episodes based on a second range of pressure changes in the one or more bladders;
• and
• determining from the data a monitored parameter relevant to the subject;
• and
• changing the fluid pressure in one of the one or more fluid bladders in response to the monitored parameter;
• and
• wherein the monitored parameter is the subject's position, at least one of the one or more fluid bladders comprises interleaved halves and the subject's position is based on a difference in pressure between the interleaved halves.

A seat monitoring system comprising:

• a first layer of one or more fluid bladders packaged within a seat;
• a pump in fluid communication with the first layer, the pump operable to increase fluid pressure of each bladder within the first layer;
• an array of one or more sensors in fluid communication with the first layer and operative to sense pressure and pressure changes within each bladder within the first layer;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• collect pressure data;
• determine from the pressure data a monitored parameter relevant to a subject in the seat;
• and change an aspect of the seat based on the monitored parameter;
• wherein the monitored parameter is the subject's position, at least one of the one or more fluid bladders comprises interleaved halves and the subject's position is based on a difference in pressure between the interleaved halves.

A seat monitoring system comprising:

• a first layer of one or more fluid bladders packaged within a seat;
• a pump in fluid communication with the first layer, the pump operable to increase fluid pressure of each bladder within the first layer;
• an array of one or more sensors in fluid communication with the first layer and operative to sense pressure and pressure changes within each bladder within the first layer;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• collect pressure data;
• determine from the pressure data a monitored parameter relevant to a subject in the seat;
• and
• change an aspect of the seat based on the monitored parameter a second layer of fluid bladders packaged within the seat;
• the pump in fluid communication with the second layer, the pump operable to increase fluid pressure of each bladder within the second layer;
• and
• an array of one or more actuators for controlling the second layer and configured to communicate with the controller and the pump;
• wherein the array of one or more actuators and the pump receive commands from the controller to increase or decrease fluid pressure in one or more bladders within the second layer based on the monitored parameter.