Beds and other body support devices with individually controllable cells comprising one or more air bladders

A device for supporting at least a portion of a body of a user, the device comprising:

• a plurality of cells, each of the cells within the plurality of cells comprising or operatively associated with:
• a bladder configured to contain and be inflatable by a compressible fluid within the bladder;
• and
• a light associated with each cell positioned to separately and controllably illuminate each bladder to indicate a condition or status of the bladder.

A system for providing adjustable and controllable support for at least a portion of a body of a user, the system comprising:

• a plurality of cells, each of the cells within the plurality of cells comprising or operatively associated with:
• a bladder configured to contain and be inflatable by a compressible fluid within the bladder;
• at least one valve in fluidic communication with the bladder, the valve configured to control inflow and/or outflow of the compressible fluid;
• and
• a pressure sensor adapted and arranged to measure a pressure of the compressible fluid;
• and
• a controller operatively associated with each of the cells within the plurality of the cells, the controller comprising a processor, wherein the processor is configured and programmed to:
• measure a duration of time the compressible fluid is contained in the bladder of each cell to determine a pressure time-value for each cell;
• compare the pressure-time value of each cell to a predetermined threshold;
• lower the pressure of a cells within the plurality of cells for which the pressure-time value exceeds the predetermined threshold indicative of the risk of injury to the body of the user;
• and
• maintain or increase the pressure of cells within the plurality of cells for which the pressure-time value does not exceed the predetermined threshold indicative of the risk of injury to the body of the user.

A device for providing adjustable and controllable support for at least a portion of a body of a user, the device comprising:

• a plurality of cells, each of the cells within the plurality of cells comprising or operatively associated with:
• an air-tight bladder configured to contain and be inflatable by air supplied to and contained within the bladder;
• at least one valve in fluidic communication with the bladder, the valve configured to control inflow and/or outflow of the compressible fluid;
• and
• a ventilation system configured to provide ventilation to a space surrounding and between bladders of the plurality of cells;
• wherein air is circulated by the ventilation system to provide ventilation, and wherein the air circulated by the ventilation system is not the air supplied to and contained within the bladders to inflate the bladders.