Arjo, an Addison, Ill.-based medical technology company, has unveiled its IndiGo intuitive drive assist for medical beds designed to reduce ergonomic risk, support user safety, and improve the ease and efficiency of transporting patients.
Comprised of a powered fifth wheel installed beneath the bed, company officials say IndiGo is unlike other power drive systems, which are typically separate, bulky pieces of equipment. Once installed, IndiGo is always ready for use, saving time and effort to store or transfer external equipment.
“We put ourselves in the customers’ shoes and tried to imagine what their dream product would be like. We realized that to truly make a difference in terms of convenience, efficiency, safety, and ease of use, we would have to come up with a completely new product concept. This led us to the idea of an integrated power assist that responds directly to user input, which became the basis for the IndiGo concept,” says Peter Lambord, a senior product specialist for Arjo.
The IndiGo system eliminates the complexity of additional equipment or controls as users activate it by simply lifting the brake pedal with their foot. Then, as they push the bed, the IndiGo system assists with automatic slope detection, providing additional power when moving up slopes, and braking assistance when moving down slopes. The user interface is intuitive enough to enable small positioning adjustments and sideways movements, and it requires minimal training to operate, according to the company.
For more information, visit Arjo.