A system for measuring data specific to a subject using gravity comprises a substrate on which a subject lies, the substrate having multiple legs extending from the substrate to a floor to support the substrate, and load sensor assemblies. Each load sensor assembly is associated with a respective leg and comprises a cap configured to receive a load from the substrate, a base configured to provide contact with the floor, the base and cap configured to fit together to maintain alignment of the cap to the base while allowing vertical movement of the cap, a load cell between the base and the cap, one of the base and cap configured to translate the load to the load cell and a printed circuit board that processes and outputs data from the load cell, wherein a combination of all load sensor assemblies receive an entire load to which the substrate is subjected.

A bed includes: a bed body having a space for a user to rest; a monitoring device connected to the bed body, the monitoring device including a pressure detecting mechanism, a signal processing unit electrically coupled to the pressure detecting mechanism, and a monitoring unit electrically coupled to the signal processing unit. The pressure detecting mechanism is configured to detect pressure variations of the bed body, generate pressure data, and transmit the pressure data to the signal processing unit. The signal processing unit is configured to process the pressure data and generate processed signal data. The monitoring unit is configured to monitor the processed signal data.

An infant sleep device may include a platform for supporting an infant, a base upon which the platform is supported, and one or more weight sensors positioned to measure weight of an infant positioned on the platform.

A biological information monitoring system (100) configured to monitor biological information of a subject (S) on a bed (BD) includes at least one load detector (11, 12, 13, 14) provided below the bed or legs of the bed and configured to detect a load of the subject on the bed, a waveform calculation unit (31) configured to calculate a waveform indicating a temporal variation in a detected value of the at least one load detector in accordance with respiration or a heartbeat of the subject, and a biological information calculation unit (32) configured to calculate a respiration rate or a heart rate of the subject by using the waveform. The biological information calculation unit includes a first calculation unit (321) configured to calculate the respiration rate or the heart rate of the subject by a first means based on the waveform, a second calculation unit (322) configured to calculate the respiration rate or the heart rate of the subject by a second means that differs from the first means and includes normalizing the waveform, and a calculation control unit (320) configured to cause the second calculation unit to calculate the respiration rate or the heart rate when an amplitude of the waveform is a threshold value or less.

A load cell apparatus for use with a bed includes a housing having a top portion and a bottom portion, and a load cell device held by the bottom portion of the housing. The load cell device is structured to generate a signal having a magnitude that is proportional to a first force being applied to the load cell device. The load cell apparatus also includes a button member held by the housing in a manner wherein the button member is structured to engage the load cell device and apply the first force to the load cell device in response to a second force being applied to the top portion of the housing. Also, various systems for monitoring parameters such as weight, sleep quality, fall risk, and/or pressure sore risk that may incorporate such a load cell apparatus.

There is provided a load detection device for use in a warehouse. The load detection device includes one or more load modules (100) configured to support a load (200) and obtain a data of the load (200). Each of the one or more load modules (100) includes an electronic load cell (101) for converting weight or force applied on the electronic load cell (101) by the load (200) into an electrical signal to provide raw weight data of the load, a mounting base (102) coupled to the electronic load cell (101) for supporting the electronic load cell (101) to be placed against a ground, and a platform (103) coupled to an upper part of the electronic load cell (101) to increase an area of contact with the load (101).

A communication system for controlling and varying medical instrument monitoring of patients and switching between synchronous and asynchronous monitoring is provided comprising a data analytics system and a dongle including a microcontroller and an antenna in communication with the microcontroller. The dongle is configured to receive data from a medical instrument, and the data includes one more metrics being measured by the medical instrument. The dongle is configured to send periodic signals of a first frequency to the medical instrument. When one or more of the metrics exceeds a pre-determined boundary parameter or one or more aggregated metrics generate a high patient risk score, the dongle increases the frequency of the periodic signals. The communication system can route a signal via a synchronous input/output unit to the medical instrument to cause the medical instrument to provide regular readings of the data and to send a signal via an asynchronous input/output unit to the medical instrument to cause the medical instrument to provide additional or irregular readings of the data and to switch between the synchronous input/output unit and the asynchronous input/output unit on demand or based on prior instructions from a user.

A weight scale system is for measuring the weight of an object, which includes a bed section, a vertical separator actuator and a controller. The bed section includes a lower-platform, an upper-platform and weight sensor assemblies located on the lower-platform, each includes at least one weight sensor. The bed section further includes at least one vertical-separator. The vertical-separator actuator is coupled with the vertical-separator and with the controller. The controller is coupled with the weight sensors. The controller directs the vertical-separator actuator to operate the bed section in at least two modes, a referencing mode in which the vertical-separator detaches the upper-platform from the weight sensor assemblies, thereby enabling referencing the weight sensors, and a weighing mode, in which the vertical separator re-attaches the upper-platform with the weight sensor assemblies, such that the weight associated with the upper-platform is fully applied on the weight sensors.

A system for adjusting the firmness of a substrate configured to support a subject includes a first rod configured to be movable by a mechanism, a second rod parallel to and spaced from the first rod a distance that spans a majority of a dimension of the substrate, and flexible straps extending between the first rod and the second rod and attached to the first rod and the second rod at respective ends of each flexible strap. The mechanism is configured to move the first rod in a first direction to increase tension on the flexible straps and move the first rod in a second direction to decrease tension on the flexible straps. The mechanism can be manually operated by the subject or can be a motor that is controlled by a controller.

Systems and methods for a load sensing system that determines a mass on a bed. The systems generally are in the form of a castor base, particularly one that can be used as part of an adjustable hospital bed. The load sensing system serves to determine the mass of any object or objects (typically a human or animal patient) which is placed on the bed by having the mass create a force on lever arms of a plurality of load cells in the castor base. The load sensing systems are designed to work without hindering the adjustable functionality of the bed and can accurately determine mass (weight) at any position of the bed, and potentially even while the bed is adjusting between positions.