A person support apparatus includes a first transceiver adapted to wirelessly communicate with a second transceiver of a headwall interface that is positioned off of the person support apparatus. A communication link is automatically established between the first and second transceivers without requiring a user of the person support apparatus to activate a designated control and without requiring the user to identify the headwall interface. The first transceiver includes a unique identifier assigned to the headwall interface in its messages to the headwall interface. The first transceiver may also automatically transmit a disconnect signal to the headwall interface indicating the termination of the communication link is not accidental. The disconnect signal is sent based on one or more of the following: (1) a brake being off, (2) an A/C power cord being unplugged; and/or (3) a signal strength between the transceivers decreasing.

A person support apparatus includes a first transceiver adapted to wirelessly communicate with a second transceiver of a headwall interface that is positioned off of the person support apparatus. A communication link is automatically established between the first and second transceivers without requiring a user of the person support apparatus to activate a designated control and without requiring the user to identify the headwall interface. The first transceiver includes a unique identifier assigned to the headwall interface in its messages to the headwall interface. The first transceiver may also automatically transmit a disconnect signal to the headwall interface indicating the termination of the communication link is not accidental. The disconnect signal is sent based on one or more of the following: (1) a brake being off, (2) an A/C power cord being unplugged; and/or (3) a signal strength between the transceivers decreasing.

A patient support apparatus includes a support structure having a base and further includes an indication system having one or more clearance sensors configured to detect clearance within a clearance zone between the patient support surface and a floor surface and are also configured to generate one or more clearance signals corresponding to the detected clearance. The indication system also includes a controller coupled to the clearance sensors that is configured to receive the one or more clearance signals and generate an output based upon the received clearance signals. A display coupled to the controller is configured to receive the generated output and generate a visual clearance indication corresponding to the detected clearance within the clearance zone, or in specific predefined portions of the clearance zone, that is viewable in a viewing area of the display.

A bed device includes: an operation section that receives an operation input; a controller that controls a movement of the bed in accordance with the operation input; a detector that detects a position of a patient on the bed; and, a limitation table that stores a limitation area set on the bed in association with a limitation content, wherein when the position of the patient detected by the detector is included in the limitation area, the limitation content is read out from the limitation table so as to control the controller in accordance with the limitation content. With this configuration, it is possible to provide a higher safety bed device which can not only notify the danger based on the bed movement but also limit the movement of the bed in accordance with the status of the patient or the bed device.

A dual-wheel steerable motorized caster has internal motors that are operated at different speeds to swivel a pair of wheels about a caster swivel axis. The motors are operated at the same speed to propel an apparatus to which the dual-wheel steerable motorized caster is coupled along an underlying surface such as a floor in a drive direction without swiveling the pair of wheels about the caster swivel axis. A patient support apparatus has one or more of such dual-wheel steerable motorized casters.

Systems and methods for detecting a pinch event or obstruction to a movable component of a patient support. In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus may include a control system capable of controlling one or more actuator systems coupled to one or more movable components of the patient support apparatus. The control system may operate according to one or more modes of operation in controlling the actuator system to move a component from a first position to a second position. In one embodiment, the control system may receive sensor feedback indicative of one or more operating characteristics of an actuator system, and analyze the sensor feedback differently in one mode than in another. In one embodiment, the controller may receive sensor feedback indicative of both a speed of a component coupled to the movable component and a current of power supplied to an electric motor of the actuator system.

Systems, methods, and techniques for operating a patient support apparatus are disclosed. The patient support apparatus includes moveable components and actuators to actuate the components. A user interface receives a user input to manipulate the actuatable components and produces an input signal in response to receiving the user input. A behavior controller receives the input signal from the user interface, generates a motion command signal based on the input signal, and transmits the motion command signal. A motion controller receives the motion command signal from the behavior controller and receives feedback signals from one or more of the actuators. The feedback signals are provided solely to the motion controller. The motion controller controls one or more of the actuators to actuate one or more of the actuatable components based on the motion command signal and the feedback signals.

A processing system is for a motorized mobile system that provides powered mobility to one or more users. The motorized mobile system may consist, for example, of one or more of a mobile chair, a mobility scooter, an electronic conveyance vehicle, a riding lawn mower, a grocery cart, an all-terrain vehicle, an off-road vehicle, and a golf cart. The processing system comprises at least one sensor to measure one or more kinematic states of an object proximate to the motorized mobile system and at least one processor to use at least one object kinematic model as at least one state estimator. The at least one processor predicts a first kinematic state estimate of the object at a first time based on a prior knowledge of state for the object. The at least one processor uses the first kinematic state estimate of the object at the first time and a measured kinematic state observed by the sensor at a second time to determine a second kinematic state estimate of the object at the second time, wherein the first time is less than the second time. The at least one processor outputs the first kinematic state estimate at the first time from the object kinematic model for use by at least one other process of the motorized mobile system, wherein the at least one other process causes one or more actions to be taken by the motorized mobile system based on the first kinematic state estimate of the object at the first time. The at least one processor uses the second kinematic state estimate at the second time as an input to the object kinematic model to predict another kinematic state estimate of the object.

Systems, methods, and techniques for operating a patient support apparatus are disclosed. The patient support apparatus includes moveable components and actuators to actuate the components. A user interface receives a user input to manipulate the actuatable components and produces an input signal in response to receiving the user input. A behavior controller receives the input signal from the user interface, generates a motion command signal based on the input signal, and transmits the motion command signal. A motion controller receives the motion command signal from the behavior controller and receives feedback signals from one or more of the actuators. The feedback signals are provided solely to the motion controller. The motion controller controls one or more of the actuators to actuate one or more of the actuatable components based on the motion command signal and the feedback signals.

A patient-support apparatus includes a first frame and a second frame movable relative to the first frame. The patient-support apparatus further includes an obstacle detection device and related method for detecting an obstacle between the first frame and the second frame of the patient-support apparatus.