We are a senior design project team in Mechanical Engineering at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). We are a diverse group of students ranging from part time students with families and full time jobs to traditional students. This design project, which started in fall 2006, has been a very good learning experience for all of us.

A variable speed hospital bed back mechanism and controller were designed to utilize extended physiologic proprioception. This was done to match competition requirements and to increase the utility of current hospital beds. Nurses are able to raise and lower patients at speeds they feel are appropriate to each patient’s situation while maximizing the efficient use of their time. Patients no longer must wait for the standard bed speed to raise them to the complete upright position if they are healthy enough to move at faster speeds.