Patient
Transfer Device (Continuum Mechanics)*
Liaison:
Martin Stryker
GG
Adams, in a January 2000 paper in the Transactions
of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, stated
that friction could be reduced to near-zero between
an elastic half space and a rigid surface through
the induction of incident rectangular dilatational
waves, which interrupt the creation and existence
of stick-slip zones. This was proven using the theory
of strength of materials, elasticity theory, and continuum
mechanics. It is proposed that this theory may be
used in the area of patient transfer. Namely, a thin
sheet, placed under the patient in a stretcher, may
be vibrated (using an separated actuator or by designing
the sheet with electroactive materials), allowing
practioners to slide the patient more easily to another
stretcher/bed surface. In order to develop this technology,
the theory must be extended to non-linear materials,
i.e. stationary surface is the foam mattress, and
the moving surface is the patient.
*Summary prepared by Michael Hernandez, Associate
Project Manager, Stryker Medical, mhernand@med.strykercorp.com