Abstract: An orthotic substantially precludes a human wearing it from rolling from her or his side to her or his face or back. The garment (such as a vest or jacket) has an open top portion, a front that can be closed by fasteners, a substantially closed rear, a first receptacle on the front, and a second receptacle on the rear and functionally cooperating with the first receptacle. Third and fourth receptacles are preferably also provided, the first and second receptacles on the left side of the garment, and the third and fourth on the right side. The garment may be primarily of a stretchable mesh fabric. A cylindrical or prismatic bolster (e. g. of firm foam or rubber) is insertable into, and removable from, each of the first and second receptacles, or each of the third and fourth receptacles.

Abstract: A method for turning and positioning a patient includes placing a sheet under a patient, the sheet comprising a first portion having a first handle and a second portion having a second handle. The first portion is placed under the patient and the second portion is a free portion. The method further includes providing a pulling force to the first and second handles, wherein the pulling force to the first handle and the second handle are in opposing directions across the patient. The pulling force to the first handle is greater than the pulling force to the second handle whereby the pulling force to the first handle causes movement of the patient in the direction of the pulling force and the pulling force to the second handle is a resistance force. The first handle and the second handle are longitudinally offset.

Abstract: Provided is an information processing apparatus including: a behavior recognition mode setting unit that sets a behavior recognition mode on a basis of wearing position information of a setting target device, a behavior recognition unit that recognizes a user's behavior on a basis of the set behavior recognition mode and a detection value of a sensor corresponding to the setting target device, and a process control unit that controls execution of a process corresponding to the recognized user's behavior.

Abstract: Motion limiting pants prevent a person from turning over onto his or her back or stomach while sleeping on his or her sides, or prevents a person from turning over onto his or her side while sleeping on his or her back or stomach. The motion limiting pants can include one or more pockets formed therein. The pockets can be filled with a filling material, such as a lightweight foam. The pockets can be formed either on the sides of the pants to prevent side sleeping, or on the front and back of the pants to prevent back and/or stomach sleeping.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling the position of a user of a wearable positional therapy device are provided. The wearable position therapy device can be configured to monitor and store physiological signals that can be used to assess sleep quality and sleeping position of a user. The device can be configured to be worn around the head, the neck, or body of the user. The device can be configured to provide feedback to a user if the user is sleeping or is positioned in a target position to induce the user to change positions. The feedback can be provided by one or more haptic motors that can be configured to provide various levels of feedback and the level of feedback can be customized based on the user's reaction to the feedback.

Abstract: A device and method for enabling an individual located on a bed to sustain a side-sleeping orientation on either a left or right side. The device comprises a light weight, elongate pillow having a longitudinal axis and being configured to concurrently rest at a back side of the individual and an adjacent surface of a bed when reclined in a side-sleeping orientation on the bed. The pillow includes a flexible attachment structure which is positioned along a longitudinal edge of the pillow to secure the pillow to the individual's bed clothing. The attachment structure provides sufficient flexibility to allow the pillow to rotate with respect to and rest against the individual's back to a laterally offset and suspended, partial captured configuration in general alignment with the individual's spine and in concurrent contact with the bed surface to prevent a supine sleeping position.

Abstract: A foam positioner device utilized for maintaining resting limb positioning, hand shape and strength therapies, and other modality therapies. Said device, by means of an integrated strap slot base, incorporates a generic strap which wraps around furnishings such as pillows, recliner footrests, beds, chairs, and various medical apparatus exclusively and does not attach to the person.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed herein for a garment with a barrier device. In one embodiment, the garment comprises an upper body garment having a neck opening, two sleeves or arm hole openings, a back, and a compartment located on the back of the upper body garment, where the compartment has a surface therein located in location of the back that encompasses an area that includes at least the shoulder blades of an individual when worn by the individual. The garment includes a barrier device contained within the compartment, where the barrier device has protrusions that contact the surface when the individual initiates movement into a supine sleeping position.

Abstract: A device and method for enabling an individual located on a bed to sustain a side-sleeping orientation on either a left or right side. The device comprises a light weight, elongate pillow having a longitudinal axis and being configured to rest at a back side of the individual when reclined in a side-sleeping orientation on the bed. The pillow includes attachment structure which is positioned along a longitudinal edge of the pillow to secure the pillow to the individual. The attachment structure provides sufficient flexibility to allow the pillow to rotate with respect to and rest against the individual's back to a laterally offset and suspended configuration in general alignment with the individual's spine.

Abstract: The invention comprises a laying, semi-vertical, or seated patient positioning, alignment, and/or control method and apparatus used in conjunction with multi-axis charged particle or proton beam radiation therapy of cancerous tumors. Patient positioning constraints are used to maintain the patient in a treatment position, including one or more of: a seat support, a back support, a head support, an arm support, a knee support, and a foot support. One or more of the positioning constraints are movable and/or under computer control for rapid positioning and/or immobilization of the patient. The system optionally uses an X-ray beam that lies in substantially the same path as a proton beam path of a particle beam cancer therapy system. The generated image is usable for: fine tuning body alignment relative to the proton beam path, to control the proton beam path to accurately and precisely target the tumor, and/or in system verification and validation.

Abstract: A device for impeding a person from assuming a supine position in bed or other resting support includes a cushion support and movement restriction means fixable at the cushion support and a user. The cushion support designed for being placed on a resting support such as a bed. When user's head is resting on a cushion disposed on or in the cushion support, the user cannot turn from one lateral position to the other lateral position via a supine position but may turn so via an abdominal position. The cushion support includes a flexible cover and a stiffening means disposed in the cover. The stiffening means can be inserted into the cover and removable therefrom. The device includes also first connection means having an extension in the cover in the transverse direction thereof and an extension outside the cover at both sides of the user. The first connection means is coupled with the stiffening means for connection of the movement restriction means.

Abstract: A garment for the treatment of sleep apnea and/or snoring includes a member for attachment to an individual afflicted with sleep apnea and an elongate, position control member at the rear of the garment and extending outwardly therefrom. The elongate member is a continuous member having transversely spaced-apart side surfaces, and the side surfaces are joined to an outer wall of the position control member at elongate side edges. The side surfaces and/or side edges are located to engage a mattress or other sleeping surface when an individual wearing the garment is sleeping in a lateral position to aid in supporting the individual in a lateral position.

Abstract: The present appliance functions to resist rolling of a sleeping person from a side to a back-reclining position. It thus prevents airway blockage caused by collapsing of soft throat tissues and the back of the tongue due to gravity.

Abstract: A one-size-fits-all ankle brace has a base member which is a unitary piece of elastomeric material, e.g., plush fabric covered neoprene, having an upper portion including a pair of mounting straps, and a lower portion including a pair of mounting straps and a pair of short elastic tension straps attached to the lower portion adjacent respective lower mounting straps. The base member can be folded to form a jacket, wherein the upper mounting straps of the base member are wrapped around the ankle and the leg just above the ankle and the lower mounting straps of the base member wrapped around the ankle, arch, and instep. VELCRO.RTM. fastening components hold the mounting straps in place to secure the brace on the ankle. The upper mounting straps overlap each other from opposite directions than the lower mounting straps. The tension straps are criss-crossed across the jacket and are releasably secured to the upper mounting straps by VELCRO.RTM. fastening components.

Abstract: A plurally pocketed belt is wearable by a sleeping person, and provides for pressure responsive alerting devices to be inserted within one or more of the pockets. The pockets are preferably disposed in the central back, lateral, and/or rearward lateral areas of the belt when the belt is being worn, thus providing a variety of placement choices for the anti-snoring devices which may be installed therein. The devices may comprise an electromechanical vibrator, activated by a pressure switch when the device is positioned between the sleeper and an underlying surface, and/or rigid, monolithic devices having multiple projections which serve to encourage the sleeper to shift positions when disposed between the sleeper and an underlying surface. The relatively non-compliant devices provide better stimulus to encourage the sleeper to shift positions than other, softer devices developed, and provide a variety of stimuli in order that a sleeper cannot become accustomed to a single type of stimulus.

Abstract: The ARS is an adjustable therapeutic support platform for premature and fullterm infants for the positional treatment of gastroesophageal reflux. It is designed in two sizes for use in infant incubators and in hospital/home cribs. It is made of washable plastic and can be positioned at both a 30 and a 45 degree angle. The supportive saddle and quick-release VELCRO straps secure the infant to the board while allowing fast and convenient access to the infant by all caretakers. This arrangement permits unrestrained movement of the infant's arms and legs. Features of the design achieve the objectives of optimum positional treatment of GER, maximum safety and comfort for the infant, maximum and unimpeded convenient access to the infant by caretakers, and maximum convenience for storage.

Abstract: Sleepwear includes a sensor on the back thereof whereby the wearer, in lying in a supine posture will receive a signal therefrom causing him to awaken or turn from said supine posture. Sleepwear may be in the form of a T-shirt having a pair of pockets for containing a mechanical or electrical sensor therein.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for discouraging supine sleep, such as to avoid sleep apnea or snoring. A support device is provided, preferably with strap-like attachments, to maintain the wearable apparatus in an effective position adjacent to the back of the sleeper. A plurality of prods are positioned on the support device in a two-dimensional array. The sharpness of the prods, as felt by the sleeper, is adjustable, such as by adjusting the surface area, thickness or compressibility of material surrounding the prods, or modifying or coating the prod points. Sharpness is adjusted to either cause a supine sleeper to shift to a non-supine position, or to cause sufficient, preferably non-awakening, arousal to maintain respiration and/or to avoid snoring.

Abstract: A disposable, full-body sheath including padded areas, a body cavity, a body-receiving aperture having a face-encircling portion, areas that have sections of transparent surgical drape and fastening means. The disposable, full-body sheath provides a patient isolation bag for short-term substantial encapsulation of a patient during transport, diagnostic scanning, etc.