Autonomous Patient Bed Navigation with Sensor-Based Collision Avoidance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Patient support apparatuses in healthcare facilities lack autonomous navigation and collision avoidance capabilities, relying on manual operation and lacking efficient navigation systems to ensure timely and safe transportation within facilities.

Innovation Solution

Integration of navigation and guidance systems, including image sensors, radar, and control systems, that enable autonomous movement, collision detection, and route planning, allowing patient support apparatuses to navigate through healthcare facilities autonomously while avoiding obstacles and reaching designated destinations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If manual operation is used to transport patient support apparatuses, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity and timeliness of patient transportation deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetimeliness of patient transportationVSAvoidnavigation system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patient support apparatus autonomously navigates to destinations using onboard sensors, processors, and control systems that enable self-direction without requiring manual operation by caregivers, thereby improving transportation timeliness while managing system complexity through integrated autonomous functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical pushing with an autonomous navigation system that uses sensors, processors, and control algorithms to automatically steer and position the patient support apparatus, substituting human physical effort with automated electronic control systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If autonomous navigation systems are integrated into patient support apparatuses, then productivity and transportation efficiency improve, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransportation efficiencyVSAvoidnavigation and guidance system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The navigation system is integrated into the existing patient support apparatus platform, allowing the same base system to serve both manual and autonomous operation modes, thereby improving transportation efficiency while managing complexity through multi-functional design that leverages shared components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the navigation system, sensors, processors, and control mechanisms into an integrated unit that works synergistically within the patient support apparatus, merging multiple functions into a cohesive system that improves transportation efficiency without proportionally increasing overall complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Loss of time

If navigation and guidance systems are added to patient support apparatuses, then timeliness of patient movement improves, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetime for patient transportationVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The autonomous navigation capability enables the patient support apparatus to independently determine routes, avoid obstacles, and reach destinations without human intervention, significantly reducing transportation time while managing complexity through self-contained autonomous functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The navigation system incorporates sensors and processors that continuously monitor the apparatus position, environment, and movement status, using feedback loops to adjust navigation decisions in real-time, thereby optimizing transportation time while managing system complexity through intelligent control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Reliability

If image sensors and collision detection systems are integrated, then safety and collision avoidance improve, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollision avoidance capabilityVSAvoidsensor and control system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual monitoring and physical barrier methods with electronic image sensors and automated collision detection systems that use optical fields and processing algorithms to detect and avoid obstacles, improving safety while managing complexity through electronic substitution of mechanical approaches

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11684526B2Patient support apparatuses with navigation and guidance systems

Publication Date: 2023.06.27 STRYKER CORP

AI summary

Patient support apparatuses, such as beds, cots, stretchers, recliners, or the like, include control systems with one or more image, radar, and/or laser sensors to detect objects and determine if a likelihood of collision exists. If so, the control system controls the speed and steering of the patient support apparatus in order to reduce the likelihood of collision. The control system may be adapted to autonomously drive the patient support apparatus, to transmit a message to a remote device indicating whether it is occupied by a patient or not, and/or to transmit its route to the remote device. The remote device may determine an estimate of a time of arrival of the patient support apparatus at a particular destination and/or determine a distance of the patient support apparatus from the particular destination.