Design and Evaluation of an Omnidirectional Motorized Hospital Bed with Omni-Wheels

Abstract

Patient transportation is a critical activity in healthcare facilities, often hindered by insufficient manpower, inefficient methods and the risk of caregiver injuries. This study presents a solution through the development of a motorized hospital bed with omnidirectional capabilities, achieved by implementing omni-wheels as the drivetrain. Equipped with rollers around their circumference, omni-wheels enable movement in any direction, allowing for easy retrofitting of existing manual hospital beds into motorized versions at minimal cost. The design was developed and experiments were conducted to evaluate its performance. Results show a maximum manoeuvring velocity of 1.5 rpm, average motor velocity error below 10% and the impact of load on linear velocity. These findings confirm the potential of omni-wheels motorized hospital bed for patient transport, but further research is required to optimize its performance.