A method for providing vestibular stimulation includes: providing an infant in a vestibular stimulation device; associating sensors to the infant; moving the vestibular stimulation device to provide vestibular stimulation treatment; and obtaining sensor data during the treatment. The vestibular stimulation device includes a holder member; a platform; a mechanical system coupling the holder member to the platform; sensors configured to detect one or more parameters of the infant; and a computing system having a user input and/or output interface operably coupled to the mechanical system and the sensors to provide mechanical data to the mechanical system in order to control movement of the holder member relative to the platform and to collect the one or more parameters of the living subject from the sensors.

A wheel chair with several new and useful features is provided. Those new and useful features provide the wheel chair with enhanced lateral stability, automatic cocking of an automatic locking device whenever an occupant sits in the wheel chair, and a holding mechanism that enables the wheel chair to be freely wheeled about when there is no occupant, and automatically move to a cocked state as soon as an occupant sits on the chair. The result is an automatic locking system for a manual wheelchair that unlocks the wheels for intentional motion when the chair is occupied, and locks the wheelchair wheels immediately when it is unoccupied, yet in no way interferes with the typical locking mechanism of the standard manual wheelchair when so desired.

A mobile body unweighted sit and stand chair assembly prevents repetitive stress from sitting, standing, and lifting objects for long periods. The assembly provides a vertically, rotatably, and pivotally adjustable seat, a restrictive support padding that rotates from a support bracket to selectively support the spine or the pelvis, and a frame for structural integrity, mobility, and steering. The seat supports the buttocks and the ischium region of the pelvis, tilting forward up to 35 degrees to abut the pelvis against the support padding. This forward position maintains the spine in a straight posture and forces open posterior intervertebral disc space. The seat is supported by an adjustable rod that supports the weight of user while sitting, walking, kneeling, or lifting. A frame includes wheels that enable mobility and a brake. A first bracket enables feet to steer for hands-free maneuverability. A second bracket provides balance during kneeling and lifting.

An automatic wheelchair locking system including: a first lock for a first wheel; a first persistent driver configured to engage and disengage the first lock; at least one processor configured to control the first persistent driver; and a memory having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, control the at least one processor to: in response to receiving instructions to disengage the first lock while the first lock is engaged, control the first persistent driver to disengage the first lock; and in response to receiving instructions to engage the first lock while the first lock is disengaged, control the first persistent driver to engage the first lock.

A wheelchair brake system comprises: a brake which is provided in a wheel of a wheelchair; and a brake actuation controller which connects with the brake and locks and releases the brake, wherein the brake is usually in a lock mode, but the brake actuation controller controls the brake to be switched over from the lock mode to a release mode if sensing that a user sits down on the wheelchair or the wheelchair is folded up.

A person support apparatus includes a base frame with a plurality of caster wheel assemblies, each of the caster wheel assemblies including a caster brake actuator movable between a total braking position and a non-braking position. A linkage system is coupled to the caster brake actuators for controlling the caster brake actuators and is operable to move the caster brake actuators between their total braking positions and their non-braking positions. The linkage system is configured to compensate for tolerances in the linkage system wherein the linkage system can control the caster brake actuators to simultaneously move between their total braking positions and their non-braking positions.

A wheelchair apparatus is provided for raising and lowering a user of the wheelchair, while allowing the user to manually move the wheelchair at any height.

A piece of seating furniture having a base and a seating unit, and a rotary mounting arrangement including a base-side bearing device and a seating-unit-side bearing device via which the seating unit is rotatable with respect to the base, and the rotary mounting arrangement has a switchable blocking device for blocking the rotatability of the bearing devices. The blocking device has two profiles including an inner profile attached to one of the two bearing devices in a rotationally fixed manner, and an outer profile attached to the other of the two bearing devices in a rotationally fixed manner. The outer profile and the inner profile are displaceable with respect to one another such that they are axially movable between an engaging relative position rotationally coupled in a form-fitting manner and a releasing relative position.

A person support apparatus includes one or more thermal image sensors whose outputs are analyzed to perform one or more functions. Such functions include automatically turning on a brake, automatically turning on one or more lights, detecting when a patient associated with the person support apparatus has fallen, enabling a propulsion system of the patient support apparatus to be used, automatically controlling one or more environmental controls, and/or automatically arming an exit detection system after entry of a patient onto the person support apparatus. Multiple thermal images may be generated from multiple sensors to generate stereoscopic thermal images of portions of the person support apparatus and its surroundings.

One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a convertible chair-to-table apparatus configured for reversible use. The apparatus may have a headrest on the leg board of the chair to enable a patient to use the chair with the patient's torso on the leg board. The invention is also directed to a method of using the apparatus by moving a patient's torso between the leg board and the back board of the apparatus.