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In this work, we built an actuator bed to study AP approaches and learned that AP mattresses should aim to increase\u2014not decrease\u2014peak pressures to a certain extent if such areas are to be minimized for effectively preventing PUs. In addition, we learned that such mattresses should aim to increase the difference between their loading and off-loading pressures. We identified optimal parameters from the study and used them to design an AP mattress made of compliant mechanisms that markedly reduce areas of persistent occlusion by exhibiting relatively high peak pressures that are periodically alternated with substantially lower off-loading pressures. The mattress\u2019s performance was characterized and compared against a standard foam pad in its flat and raised configurations. The load required to actuate the mattress from one of its stable states of pressure to the other was also measured.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1126\/scirobotics.ads6314","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,18]],"date-time":"2025-06-18T18:00:56Z","timestamp":1750269656000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.34133\/aaas_crossmark","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Preventing pressure ulcers by increasing pressure: An unorthodox alternating-pressure mattress"],"prefix":"10.1126","volume":"10","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-5420-6673","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Zhidi","family":"Yang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-6400-5755","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"James L.","family":"Weida","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA."},{"name":"K Medical LLC, Porter Ranch, CA 91326, USA."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Siyuan","family":"Shao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-3611-0115","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Brandon","family":"Reedel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Collin","family":"Shannon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Junlin","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Piyush","family":"Sheth","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"K Medical LLC, Porter Ranch, CA 91326, USA."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4752-746X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Jonathan B.","family":"Hopkins","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"221","reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_2_2_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4103\/0970-0358.101287"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_3_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.296.8.974"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_4_2","first-page":"CD009490","article-title":"Support surfaces for treating pressure ulcers","volume":"2018","author":"McInnes E.","year":"2018","unstructured":"E. 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