Optical Head-Mounted Displays in Mass Casualty Incidents

Abstract

Optical head-mounted displays (OHMDs) could support members of emergency medical services in responding to and managing mass casualty incidents. In this contribution, the authors describe the human-centered design of two applications for supporting the triage process as well as the identification of hazardous materials. They were evaluated with members of emergency medical services and civil protection units. In this regard, challenges and approaches to human-computer interaction with OHMDs in crisis response and management are discussed. The conclusion is drawn that often mentioned advantages of OHMDs like hands-free interaction alone will not lead to usable solutions for safety-critical domains. Interaction design needs to be carefully considered right down to the last detail.

Technical Support by Smart Glasses During a Mass Casualty Incident: A Randomized Controlled Simulation Trial on Technically Assisted Triage and Telemedical App Use in Disaster Medicine

“…In 2015, a feasibility study was carried out on the app of modern telemedicine in a disaster to triage, in which only 2 patients were triaged with telemedicine [21]; the authors found no marked differences in the quality of the triage, but in the duration. In another study, the use of optical head-mounted displays in disaster missions was mentioned as beneficial, without direct comparisons to a control group [22]. Another triage algorithm was tested on Google Glass during a full-scale exercise to perform visually guided augmented-reality Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment triage and identify casualties and collect georeferenced notes, photos, and videos to be incorporated into the debriefing [23].…”