Soft Pneumatic Manipulator Capable of Sliding Under the Human Body and Its Application to Preventing Bedsores

This paper proposes a new soft pneumatic manipulator capable of sliding under the human body without friction and helping the person turn over in bed. It aims to prevent pressure ulcers in bedridden patients. The proposed manipulator, termed “Slip-in Manipulator,” is composed of two soft chambers and an electric motor. It can slip in between the bed and the human body by drawing out the inner chamber using pneumatic pressure. It can also perform bending motion by pressurizing the other chamber. Besides, it can be stored smoothly by being pulled by the motor. In this paper, we first illustrate the design concept and structure of the manipulator. Next, the characterization of both slip-in and bending motions is described. The experimental results of the developed prototype are shown, which suggest that the process of propulsion under the human body. In addition, the slip-in motion is also effective in eliminating wrinkles from clothes and the bending motion support changing patient's posture. Finally, we discuss the validity of the proposed manipulator through these experiments.