The flowchart of the controlling processes for the posture
changing and transferring functions is shown in Fig. 12. Each
control process includes several steps of manipulating the multifunctional
beds. First, the computer is connected to the control
hardware system. Then, the user can choose either the posture
changing or body transferring function. For the posture
changing, it includes sitting, leg lifting, bed surface rising up
or lowering down, the transformation of the nursing bed, and
the respiratory guide function. Before the rising up or lowering
down function and the respiratory guide function, the bed needs
to go back to the home position first. For the body transferring
function, the controller needs to check whether the bedplate is
flat or not. The condition of the bed is checked by using the data
from the encoder. If the bedplates are flat, then the height of the
bedplate is checked to see whether it is the same as that of the
nursing bed or not.When the bedplates are not flat, they will be
moved to the home position by commanding the linear motors.
Finally, the heights of the main bed and the nursing bed are
the same and verified by the data from the encoders. After the
aforementioned steps, the user can begin the body transferring
function. The bedridden people on the main bed can then be
transferred to the nursing bed.