Wireless Charging Introduced for In-Hospital Transport Project at Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital

B&PLUS Inc. (Head Office: Ogawa-machi, Saitama Prefecture; Representative Director: Atsushi Kameda) has introduced wireless charging to an in-hospital transport project at Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital as part of its automation solutions utilizing wireless power supply technology.

1. In-Hospital Transport Project Aiming for Automated Operation An in-hospital transport project combining automated operation of electric wheelchairs with wireless charging is underway at Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital. This initiative aims to reduce the burden of patient transport within the hospital's corridors (approximately 150m) and to achieve labor savings.

This project involves transporting patients using electric wheelchairs, specifically the "WHILL CR2" model, with automatic driving control handled by an external company participating in the project. B&PLUS was responsible for hardware development, focusing on wireless charging, and vehicle modification.

Automating charging is crucial for establishing automated mobility services. In this case, a system has been built that does not rely on manual intervention for charging, enabling continuous operation.

2. Power Design and Vehicle Development Centered on Wireless Charging The system employs a configuration where an additional battery is mounted on the WHILL unit, which is then charged non-contactually via 600W wireless charging. Automatic charging during standby allows for repeated operations.

Furthermore, by using an inverter to transfer power from the additional battery to the WHILL's genuine charger, which then supplies power to the main unit's battery, a mechanism has been realized that allows charging while maintaining existing specifications.

The charging station also incorporates a spring mechanism, designed to absorb positional deviations of approximately ±10cm from the left and right. This ensures reliable charging initiation even with variations in stopping positions due to automatic driving.

3. Mechanism Enabling "Continuous Operation" Including Charging In terms of operation, vehicles are summoned from tablets installed at both ends of the corridor, and the WHILL automatically moves to the designated location. After the patient boards, the wheelchair transports them to their destination. Upon arrival, it automatically returns to its standby position.

Subsequently, it enters the charging station, and wireless charging begins automatically. This eliminates the need for conventional charging tasks, enabling continuous, human-free operation. This realizes "uninterrupted transport" by making charging tasks unnecessary.

This technology automates the charging of electric wheelchairs, contributing to increased operational efficiency and reduced operational load. It is particularly expected to be utilized as a system supporting stable operations for applications such as in-facility transport.

On-site verification with the actual equipment is currently underway, with full-scale operation scheduled to begin around April 2026.

Those considering automation and labor-saving through wireless charging, as demonstrated in this case, are encouraged to inquire.

[Company Profile] Company Name: B&PLUS Inc. Business Activities: Development, manufacturing, and sales of wireless power supply technology URL: https://www.b-plus-kk.jp/

[Contact Information] For those considering automation and labor-saving through wireless charging, as in this case, please feel free to inquire via the contact form below.