Science & Tech · Gadgets & EVs · 8 hrs ago
Australian smart bedding technology wins US patent to monitor fall risks
Sleeptite and RMIT University researchers have secured a US patent for FlexiSense, a smart bedding technology developed in Australia.
Flexible sensors built into mattress protectors detect pressure changes as someone moves or changes position in bed.
The system is designed to help carers spot fall risks earlier and respond, without residents needing to wear a device or be monitored by cameras.
It is being developed for Sleeptite’s REMi in-bed monitoring system and could be used in care facilities or people’s homes.
The technology is intended to support caregivers, not replace their judgment, and it has not been shown to prevent falls in every setting.
Sleeptite plans to set up an initial production line in Melbourne, while broader real-world use will depend on further development and testing.
Sleeptite and RMIT University researchers have received a US patent for FlexiSense, smart bedding designed to help identify fall risks among residents.
The technology uses flexible sensors in mattress protectors to track body position and posture.
It is being developed for Sleeptite’s REMi in-bed monitoring system, which can log data wirelessly in the cloud.
The sensors are designed to help care staff spot risks earlier without cameras or wearable devices.
Detection of pressure sore risk is also in development.
- Who
- Australian medtech company Sleeptite and researchers at RMIT University.
- What
- They received a US patent for FlexiSense smart bedding technology to monitor body position and posture and help identify fall risks.
- When
- The patent was granted in October 2026; the exact date is not stated.
- Where
- The patent is from the United States. The technology was displayed at The MedTech Conference in Boston.
- Why
- To help care staff identify possible fall risks earlier so they can intervene.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Sleeptite lodged an Australian provisional patent application for the technology.
A US patent was granted for the FlexiSense sensor design and its manufacturing method.
Sleeptite unveiled the technology at the conference in Boston.
- Patent
- US patent granted in October 2026
- Technology
- FlexiSense
- System
- Sleeptite’s REMi in-bed monitoring system
- Sensor materials
- Silver and carbon inks on flexible polyurethane sheets
- Development partners
- Sleeptite, RMIT University and Sleepeezee Bedding Australia
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What people are saying
Care workers can't be in every room, every minute of the night. This technology gives them an extra set of eyes, without putting a camera in the room.
The US Patent and Trademark Office doesn't grant patents on good intentions. It grants them on genuine novelty.
The sensors can be used across a wide range of mattress types, making the technology easier and more affordable to adopt.