Hospital Bed Touch Interface With Animated Therapy Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional user modules for patient supports are often cumbersome and non-intuitive, leading to inefficiencies and user frustration due to lack of clear feedback and complex interfaces, making it difficult for caregivers to manage automated therapy functions and patient data effectively.
Innovation Solution
A user module with a communication interface, input device, and output device featuring a visual display that uses graphical depictions and animated elements to convey information about patient support functions, alarms, and therapy status, along with touch-sensitive controls and a memory system for configuring settings and tracking patient data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional user modules are fixed in or coupled to siderail or footboard, then they provide stable mounting, but they become cumbersome and non-intuitive for caregivers to use
Solution Approach 1:
The user module is designed to be movable and repositionable along the siderail, transforming from a fixed static mounting to a dynamic adjustable position system. This allows the module to maintain stable mounting while improving accessibility and ease of operation for caregivers at different bedside locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The user module is designed as a separate, detachable component that can be independently positioned and removed from the siderail assembly. This segmentation allows the control interface to be optimized for ease of use while maintaining a secure mounting system, resolving the contradiction between stable mounting and user-friendliness.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional user modules provide extensive informational content on compact displays, then they contain comprehensive data, but verification of single changed parameters becomes exceedingly difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The display interface uses selective highlighting and visual indicators to emphasize specific changed parameters or critical information. Instead of presenting all data uniformly, the system applies different visual qualities (such as color coding, brightness, or positional emphasis) to different pieces of information, making it easy to detect and verify specific parameters while maintaining comprehensive informational content.
3Device complexity
If conventional user modules lack clear feedback mechanisms, then they simplify the interface design, but users are left in doubt as to whether their input selections have been accepted
Solution Approach 1:
The user module incorporates immediate visual feedback mechanisms that confirm when user inputs are received and processed. The display shows real-time updates, selection confirmations, and status indicators that provide clear information about whether input selections have been accepted, eliminating user doubt while maintaining relatively simple interface design.
4Adaptability or versatility
If conventional user modules require multiple steps to access and configure settings, then they provide comprehensive control options, but they reduce caregiver efficiency and increase time consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The user module provides default settings and pre-configured options that are ready for immediate use upon activation. Commonly used functions are pre-positioned or easily accessible without requiring multiple navigation steps, allowing caregivers to quickly configure and begin patient care while still maintaining comprehensive control options for more complex configurations.
Data Source
AI summary
A user module for a patient support apparatus is provided. The user module has a user interface operably coupled thereto. The user interface includes an input device and an output device. The output device includes a visual display including textual and non-textual elements. The non-textual elements include enhanced, graphical, and animated portions relating to one or more operational features of the patient support or to a person positionable on the patient support. The input device includes one or more touch sensors corresponding to defined regions of the visual display.