Patent ID: 7877171
Filing Date: 2011-01-25
Classification: A61B,G05G,G06F,H01H

Abstract:
1. A switching device for medical or surgical equipment, comprising: a planar floor mat having sensors distributed over a surface area thereof, said sensors producing an electrical signal corresponding to a position of a foot of an operator on the floor mat when the foot is located near one or more of the sensors, and a data processing system connected to the floor mat and programmed to: store the instantaneous position of the foot on the floor mat as a starting position when activated by an activating signal, select at least one corresponding switching area of the floor mat, and produce a switching signal only when the foot is located near one or more of the sensors in the at least one corresponding switching area; wherein the instantaneous starting position may be at any position on the floor mat near one or more of the sensors, and wherein the at least one corresponding switching area of the floor mat is a location on the floor mat at a predetermined distance and direction relative to the starting position.