Devices, systems, and methods are described including a wearable lift device including a flexible material having a shape sufficient to encircle a portion of a subject's body; a fastener configured to secure the flexible material around the portion of the subject's body; at least one lift attachment element associated with the flexible material at one or more lift attachment sites, the at least one lift attachment element configured to attach the wearable lift device to a lift apparatus; a load sensor associated with at least one of the one or more lift attachment sites or along a load path between the one or more lift attachment sites; a microcontroller including circuitry configured to receive and process information regarding the measured load; and a reporting device operably coupled to the microcontroller and configured to transmit one or more signals indicative of the processed information regarding the measured load.

Various implementations of a patient monitoring assembly may be useful in preventing pressure ulcers, monitoring of air cushion inflation, estimating physical activity and energy expenditure and managing body weight of a patient seated on the assembly. The patient monitoring assembly may be installed on a manual or powered wheelchair, for example, and continuously monitors and provides feedback to the patient and/or caregiver about whether the patient is engaging in pressure relief activities while seated on a cushion of the assembly, whether the patient's activities are in accordance with clinical guidelines for pressure relief, the amount of calories expended over a period of time and the weight and weight distribution of the patient seated on the assembly. The feedback may be provided in substantially real time via an interface on the wheelchair and/or via a remotely located computing device.

The present teachings provide for wheelchair including a control module, manual drive controls, a camera, biometric sensors, and an antenna. The control module includes an autonomous drive module configured to autonomously pilot the wheelchair. The biometric sensors are configured to measure biometric information of a user of the wheelchair.

A patient turning device for a patient support apparatus. The patient turning device includes a first and second bladder assembly each including a plurality of layers and seals defining a bladder volume. The bladder volumes are selectively inflatable with fluid to expand the respective bladder assembly, and consequently move a patient support surface of the patient support apparatus. A portion of a lower layer of the first bladder assembly and a portion of an upper layer of the second bladder assembly define an overlapping region of the bladder volumes. The patient turning device is coupled to an underside of a carrier sheet and positioned between a crib assembly and a bottom cover. An augmenting feature is configured to resiliently expand as at least one of the first and second bladder assemblies receives the fluid to move at least a portion of the crib assembly away from a patient support deck.

An apparatus is disclosed for adjusting an active length of a plurality of interwoven support elements of a weight bearing surface to conform to contours of a user's anatomy. The weight bearing surface overlies a frame to which the plurality of interwoven support elements are connected. The apparatus includes an adjustment mechanism connected to one of the plurality of interwoven support elements, wherein the adjustment mechanism is attached or releasably attached to the frame. The adjustment mechanism allows the active length of the connected interwoven support element to change as a user bears upon the weight bearing surface, thereby conforming the weight bearing surface to the contours of a user's anatomy. In another aspect, a method for adjusting an active length of at least some of a plurality of interwoven support elements of a weight bearing surface to conform to contours of a user's anatomy is disclosed.

A method of supporting a body part (16), comprising providing a device (100) comprising: a first portion (105) configured to support a body part, wherein, in use, the body part applies a first pressure to the first portion in a first direction; means for detecting the first pressure; and a second portion (115) having means (212) for applying a second pressure to the body part in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction; detecting the first pressure; determining the second pressure based on a user parameter; and applying the second pressure to the body part in the second direction at a pre-determined ratio relative to the first pressure using said means for applying the second pressure.

A spinal deformity correction and fusion surgery supporting device is capable of simplifying the operative procedures of a spinal deformity correction and fusion surgery by an operator to reduce the operative time and lessen the burden on the patient and achieving a more effective correction rate by the spinal deformity correction and fusion surgery. In this supporting device, the waist and the vicinity thereof are pressed from both sides in the left-right direction by a pair of waist pressing bodies, and the chest and the vicinity thereof are pressed from both sides in the left-right direction by a pair of chest pressing body to establish a trunk balance. In this state, the pair of chest pressing bodies and the pair of waist pressing bodies are moved away from each other to apply a tensile load to spinal deformity and a state in which the spinal deformity is corrected so as to approach a correction rate by the spinal deformity correction and fusion surgery can be maintained. As a result, a more effective correction rate is achieved by spinal deformity correction and fusion surgery while simplifying the operative procedures of spinal deformity correction and fusion surgery, shortening the operative time, and lessening the burden on the patient.

The present invention concerns an inflatable air cushion with at least one pressure indicator, the cushion including an outer side and at least one chamber, the at least one chamber made up of one or more films that are joined, thereby forming one or more airtight chambers, the cushion furthermore including a valve opening for connecting an air supply line, the valve opening being accessible from the surface of the cushion. The invention furthermore relates to a method of inflating such an inflatable cushion with pressure indicator. The new feature of a cushion according to the invention is that the pressure indicator of the cushion includes at least one strap with a first end and a second end, the at least one strap arranged in relation to the surface of the cushion, where the at least one strap is surrounding the cushion entirely or partially, and where the at least one strap is adapted such that the physical appearance of the strap is changed at a given pressure in the cushion, thus constituting a pressure indicator.

A mattress including: a support surface to support a user; a mattress main body that constitutes the support surface; at least one pressure sensor having a flexible sheet shape to detect a pressure acting on the support surface; a support surface cover positioned with respect to the mattress main body and arranged so as to cover the support surface; and at least one positioning member provided to the support surface cover to permit a movement of the pressure sensor with respect to the support surface cover in a planar direction while limiting an amount of the movement of the pressure sensor with respect to the support surface cover in the planar direction such that the pressure sensor is positioned on the support surface by the positioning member.

A patient compliance monitoring system is provided for monitoring patient compliance in the use of a plurality of patient care and recovery devices in the hospital room. Sensors are associated with each of the devices to detect a usage history of the associated device and to generate usage data therefore. One device is a patient positioning device including a wedge-shaped body with at least one pressure sensor associated with the bottom surface. The wedge-shaped body is formed of a compressible viscoelastic open-cell foam composition that is adapted to compress under the weight so that the angle of the ramp surface of the wedge decreases from an initial ramp angle to a tilt angle for supporting the patient.