Development of Transfer Assist Robot System Supporting Self-Reliant Life

Abstract

To improve the practicality and safety of the transfer assist robot system “Roboticbed ®,” 1 which combines an electric bed and an electric wheelchair, trial use evaluation and risk assessment were conducted and Roboticbed was improved based on these results. In trial use evaluation, behavior was observed and subjects were interviewed to identify requirements for improving the prototype. In risk assessment, safety measures based on a three-step method were examined in hazardous situations for which risk reduction was necessary. This paper reports details of these studies. 1. Roboticbed is a domestic trademark of Panasonic.