“This is your heart speaking. Call 911.”

Abstract

<jats:p> Early warning for heart attacks could save many lives. We conducted three studies to design and evaluate multimodal alarms and patient training for an implanted heart attack detector. An implanted device provided vibrotactile alarms subcutaneously, and a pager-like device provided auditory and visual alarms. Temporal alarm patterns connoted an urgent emergency alarm (“Call 911”) and a less urgent alarm (“See your doctor”). In the third, clinical, study, most patients (94%) correctly responded to the alarms at 1, 3, and 6 months after device implantation. Subcutaneous vibrotactile alarms show great potential for use in critical medical applications. </jats:p>

Human Factors and Ergonomics

“…The discipline needs to become more proactive in anticipating and driving technology advances. For example, human factors and ergonomics researchers are developing implantable early warning devices for people who are at risk of having a heart attack (Day and Young, 2012). As a field of endeavor, human factors and ergonomics also needs to drive technology advancements by integrating itself into every step in the system lifecycle, from operational needs analysis, to concept development, engineering design, implementation and commissioning, operations and maintenance, and even decommissioning (Chapanis, 1996).…”

Self-Reporting of Firefighter Vital Signs in Emergency Situations

“…The inadequacy of firefighter self-monitoring methods presents an area for product intervention. The three major goals of this product concept would be to 1) not only meet industry regulations but supplement current standard equipment, 2) reliably alert firefighter personnel including the fire chief of hazardous health conditions through auditory and vibration based on technology applications of vibrotactile devices (Day, 2012), and 3) monitor vital signs (before, during and after the EMS situation) to prevent heart attacks, heat exhaustion and strokes.…”