Supporting apparatus for supporting a user in one of a plurality of positions and for moving the user from one position to another, comprises a base a body support carried by the base for supporting the user in a horizontal position a feet support engageable with the under surface of the users feet a tilting mechanism coupled to and between the base and the body support to enable tilting the body support to a horizontal, inclined, or vertical position with respect to the base a pressure-sensor carried by the feet-support which senses the pressure applied by the user to the feet-support and produces an output corresponding thereto a weight sensor which senses the weight of the user on the body support and produces an output corresponding thereto and a processor which processes the outputs of the pressure-sensor and the weight-sensor, producing an output corresponding thereto.
