A strain gauge assembly includes a member and a strain gauge supported by the member spaced. The strain gauge further includes a bearing surface and a contact surface spaced from the bearing surface. When the member is subject to a predetermined bending force, the bearing surface contacts the contact surface wherein at least a portion of the bending force bypasses the strain gauge and instead is transferred from the bearing surface to the contact surface.

A weighing device for weighing a load, such as an infant, is disclosed. The weighing device can include a device casing having a placement side configured to retain the load and an underside. Four weight sensors can be coupled to the underside of the device casing. The four weight sensors can be configured to generate a signal corresponding to a weight of the load. A first foot assembly can be coupled to one of the four weight sensors. The first foot assembly can include a first assembly end coupled to the first weight sensor and a second assembly end extending beyond the device casing. The placement side can include at least two retaining walls and a receiving surface.

A method automatically determines a weight of a patient lying on a tabletop of a patient positioning device. A motorized movement of the tabletop along at least one predeterminable axis sets the tabletop in an oscillation via an elastic drive train element, and the patient's weight is determined from a determined oscillation frequency. Therefore, the weight of a patient lying on a patient positioning device can be determined in a simple manner.

Various methods and systems are provided for a drift-compensated force measurement. In one example, a method includes obtaining a single output voltage measurement from a strain gauge of an infant scale, the single output voltage reflective of a weight applied to the scale; obtaining a voltage measurement across each of four resistors of the strain gauge to determine four separate voltage measurements and determining a drift voltage based on the four separate voltage measurements; and outputting a corrected weight value determined based on a difference between the single output voltage and the drift voltage

A system and a method of detecting a voiding event of a care-receiver uses a temperature sensor for measuring temperatures in real-time at a location adjacent a lower portion of the care-receiver's torso where the voiding event is to occur. The system and method then determines the voiding event based on the measured temperatures.

There is provided an apparatus to weigh a patient comprising a patient transfer board configured to support a patient in a supine position comprising at least 8 transducers, each transducer being provided 300 mm or less from another transducer. The transducers are provided at three or more positions across the width of the patient transfer board; wherein more than 45% of the transducers are provided 100 mm or less from an outer boundary of the patient transfer board.

The present invention is directed toward a system and method for effectively managing, transporting, and taking care of patients in a hospital facility. Primarily this is done through the use of an automated bed with corresponding controls and devices installed within the facility. Precautionary fail safes are implemented such that any medical profession can override the system should an error be detected. Constant monitoring and control of all automated beds may occur from a centralized system. These systems and methods will allow for better allocation of hospital resources, providing much more efficient care to all patients.

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.

The invention provides a system (100a) for tracking infant development, the system comprising: a portable device (101) including a camera and a processing unit, and a weighing scale (102), preferably comprising a wireless transceiver; wherein the weighing scale is configured to measure the weight of an infant and to transmit the measured weight information to the portable device; and wherein the portable device is configured to capture (401) an image of the infant; combine the received weight information and information derived from the image of the infant to obtain (404) infant development statistics; and store (403) the image and the obtained infant development statistics in a storage; wherein the information derived from the image includes at least one of the height of the infant and the head circumference of the infant. The invention further provides a portable device, a weighing scale, and a computer readable medium.

A system comprises a storage device, a piece of medical equipment, a portable computing device, and a hub portal. The piece of medical equipment has at least one electrically powered feature and comprises either a medical examination table or a storage cabinet. The storage device is operable to store data and is remotely located relative to the first piece of medical equipment and relative to the portable computing device. The hub portal is operable to provide communication of one or both of data or commands between the storage device, the piece of medical equipment, and the portable computing device. A method includes enablement or activation of an electrically powered feature of medical equipment upon entry of a portable computing device into a medical examination room. The method also includes disablement or further activation of the electrically powered feature upon exit of the portable computing device from the medical examination room.