When a patient lies on a support surface for hours at a time, the microclimate — the temperature and humidity of the air trapped between skin and surface — becomes a clinical variable rather than a comfort detail.
Why the interface matters
Occluded skin warms and moistens, and both changes alter the mechanical tolerance of tissue to pressure: an interface pressure that is well tolerated on cool, dry skin is not necessarily tolerated once the skin is warm and damp. Managing the microclimate therefore means holding the local environment inside a defined band, not chasing a single ideal number.
The band AERIS targets
The AERIS platform regulates airflow at the interface to hold:
- Temperature — 25–40 °C
- Airflow — 0.3 m/min
Air is moved through the surface continuously rather than on a timer, so the band is maintained while the patient is in bed, including under the rotation cycle.
How it is measured
Six sensing channels sample interface pressure at 0.1 mmHg resolution. Those channels feed the control loop that drives the alternating-pressure cells and the rotation cycle, and the readings are available for documentation.
What to ask when specifying a surface
- Which pressure range does the model cover? AERIS TX operates at 13.5–32 mmHg for critical care; AERIS HC at 30–60 mmHg for home and long-term care.
- What rotation range and cycle times are available? AERIS provides 0–30° with cycles from 15 to 120 minutes.
- How is the microclimate held, and how is it verified? Ask for the airflow specification and the sensing resolution, not an adjective.
- What acoustic target applies in a bedroom setting? AERIS HC is specified at ≤ 45 dB.
Specifications in context
Microclimate management is one of three integrated functions on AERIS, alongside alternating pressure and lateral rotation therapy. The full specification set — including safe working load (≥ 135 kg for TX, ≥ 200 kg for HC) and frame dimensions — is published in the AERIS brochure, available on request from HWK.