A support surface including a cutout on a bottom surface of the support surface. The cutout, which can include a plurality of cutouts, provides a controlled structural collapse of the support surface by varying a stiffness in a cross-section. That is, the area in which the cutouts are positioned collapses more easily than the surrounding area of the support structure, thus making the area with the cutouts perceived as being softer. The cutouts can reduce the peak pressures on the portion of the user's body (for example, the user's ischial tuberosities) that is positioned over the cutouts. The support surface can also include a low-friction interface extending across a top surface of the support surface.

A body state determination device includes a detection unit that is configured to detect a plurality of pressure distributions formed by a body weight of a user, and a determination unit that is configured to determine a state of a body of the user by comparing the plurality of pressure distributions detected by the detection unit with each other.

A body state determination device includes a detection unit that is configured to detect a plurality of pressure distributions formed by a body weight of a user, and a determination unit that is configured to determine a state of a body of the user by comparing the plurality of pressure distributions detected by the detection unit with each other.

Surgical robotic systems including a user console for controlling a robotic arm or a surgical robotic tool are described. The user console includes components designed to automatically adapt to anthropometric characteristics of a user. A processor of the surgical robotic system is configured to receive anthropometric inputs corresponding to the anthropometric characteristics and to generate an initial console configuration of the user console based on the inputs using a machine learning model. Actuators automatically adjust a seat, a display, or one or more pedals of the user console to the initial console configuration. The initial console configuration establishes a comfortable relative position between the user and the console components. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

A furniture system includes an office productivity structure (OPS). The furniture system also includes a sensor coupled to the OPS, the sensor operable to detect occupancy of the OPS and generate an output signal indicative of the occupancy; and a processor coupled to the sensor. The processor is operable to receive the output signal generated by the sensor, determine, based on the output signal, that the OPS is occupied, and, in response to determining that the OPS is occupied, generate a command to initiate at least one action associated with the OPS or an operator of the OPS.

A method of detecting and correcting a user's posture through use of a mobile posture-detection cushion for a chair or any other seating apparatus. The cushion contains individual support modules that actively monitor a user's current seated position and adjust the user to attain an optimum sitting posture in response to individual pressure sensors within the cushion, and provides user-specific feedback to each individual user over a period of time of use of the cushion.

A posture adjusting device includes a support member with a pressure receiving surface to be pressed by a body of a user, multiple posture adjusting members each configured to change an uneven state of the pressure receiving surface, a sensor configured to output, when a given posture adjusting member is pressed by the body via the pressure receiving surface, a resistance value that constantly varies in accordance with a magnitude of a press force that is transferred via the given posture adjusting member, a drive unit configured to independently drive each of the multiple posture adjusting members, and a control unit configured to identify the pressed posture adjusting member based on the output of the sensor, and to control the drive unit to cause the pressed posture adjusting member to be moved or deformed to thereby cause the uneven state of the pressure receiving surface to change.

A method for customizing a mattress includes acquiring a three dimensional image of a body of a user and preparing, by a processor, a three dimensional model of the body of the user using the three-dimensional image. The method also includes dividing, by the processor, the three dimensional model into a plurality of sections arranged parallel to each other and arrayed along a height of the three dimensional model, and determining a downward pressure to be exerted by each of the plurality of sections on the mattress. The method further includes determining, by the processor, one or more parameters associated with at least one portion of the mattress adapted to be arranged underneath an associated section when person lies on the mattress based on the determined downward pressure or topography.

A cushion module is provided herein and includes a mounting manifold and a retaining plate. An array of pneumatic assemblies is coupled to and disposed between the mounting manifold and the retaining plate. Each pneumatic assembly includes a pneumatic cylinder having a piston rod and configured to receive pressurized air for moving the piston rod to a selected position. The pressurized air supplied to each pneumatic cylinder is variable and the piston rods collectively define a support surface having variable contour and firmness, and on which an object is rested to assess the comfortability of the support surface.

An office chair system has an office chair with adjustment elements for changing positions of elements of the office chair, a sensor element, a calculation unit coupled to the latter and to the adjustment elements, as well as an operating element coupled thereto. The adjustment elements are configured to detect contacts and actuations of components of the adjustment elements and to generate an adjustment signal based thereon. The sensor element is configured to determine the positions of the elements and a posture of a user and to generate a position signal based thereon. The calculation unit is configured to generate a first feedback signal based on the position signal, which contains information about a proposed change of the positions. One of the components is assigned to the proposed change. The calculation unit is configured to verify a contact or actuation of the assigned component and to generate a second feedback signal based thereon. The operating element is configured to output the first and second feedback signals.