Portfolio

SITUATION
 
In an emergency a person might suffer from an accident or have a heart attack, but may not have the access to medical attention.
 
Flights are susceptible to these emergency situations.
 
Each day, about six million people travel by planes to different destinations in the world , so there is a great likelihood that a medical emergency may occur and, in many cases, without a doctor nearby.
 
Forbes notes that most U.S. airlines have a medical strategy in case of unexpected medical emergencies,
including heart attack, stroke, choking , diabetic reactions, seizures, and other illnesses.
 
The planes have an emergency kit containing any drugs such as digoxin, nitroglycerin, epinephrine and oxygen cylinders in case someone suffers a heart attack, in addition, the attendants are certified and trained to use a defibrillator and stabilize the passenger.
 
Airlines such as Delta use the STAT -MD program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center ( UPMC ) in order to receive medical advice if you have a problem during the flight.
 
In 2012, the company MedAire 0capacitó 60 lines Aeras medical techniques in the air in order to save more people who suffer a heart attack while flying. The company also supervised twenty two thousand emergencies last year.
 
If the passenger who suffers from a heart attack cannot be stabilized and his life is in danger, the pilot will have the decision to divert the plane to the nearest airport, so that passengers receive proper medical care.
BRIEFING
 
-Create a device that will accomplish the functions of an oximetry, ECG and RR device.
-Compact size.
-Easy manipulation.
-Hygienic.
-UI:    Minimum required information.
    Simple interface.
    Pre-diagnosis analysis.
CONCEPT
 
Some of the initial work on the concept involved Market analysis and sketches as well as some vector work for the User Interface.
TECHNOLOGIES
 
The analysis and previous experience allows the understanding of different aspects of this challenge and therefore helping to deliver a good solution to the problems.
 
-OXIMETRY
A pulse oximeter is a medical device that indirectly monitors the oxygen saturation of a patient's blood (as opposed to measuring oxygen saturation directly through a blood sample) and changes in blood volume in the skin, producing a photoplethysmogram.
 
-ECG
An ECG produces a pattern reflecting the electrical activity of the heart and usually requires a trained clinician to interpret it in the context of the signs and symptoms the patient presents with. It can give information regarding the rhythm of the heart, whether that impulse is conducted normally throughout the heart, or whether any part of the heart is contributing more or less than expected to the electrical activity of the heart. It can also give information regarding the balance of salts (electrolytes) in the blood or even reveal problems with sodium channels within the heart muscle cells. Modern ECG machines often include analysis software that attempts to interpret the pattern but the diagnoses this produces may not always be accurate.
 
-RESPIRATORY RATE BAND
The respiratory rate (RR), also known as the respiration rate, ventilation rate, ventilatory rate, ventilation frequency (Vf), respiration frequency (Rf), pulmonary ventilation rate, or breathing  frequency, is the rate (frequency) of ventilation, that is, the number of breaths, taken within a set amount of time (typically 60 seconds). A normal respiratory rate is termed eupnea, an increased respiratory rate is termed tachypnea and a lower than a normal respiratory rate is termed bradypnea.
 
CONCEPT e+
 
The emergency patch e+ combines the ECG,
Oximetry and RR band in order to help the diagnosis
during emergencies where the medical help and
diagnostic tools are not available.
This device will help the flight attendant or other
responsible persons to help the patients in danger.
The set consist of 2 different parts, the OXIMETRY, and e-PATCH. The patch consist in 2 different parts, the durable, Module-e, and the disposable, the cloth patch.
PATCH
 
The patch is a disposable component due hygienic reasons. For that reason the components of the patch are cheap components with the minimum number of electronic components.
 
The components are flexible in order  to adapt to the body, but the electrodes have to keep in place in order to take the data.
 
The only rigid part is the attach ring A, the piece that connects the disposable patch with the durable module.
The electrodes will capture the electric signals of the heart, while the displacement between them will recall the RR.
MODULE-e
 
Module-e is the durable component of the patch and on the inside are encapsulated the electronic  components.
 
The rechargeable cell coin battery is placed inside, and can be reachable through the USB connection.
 
The PCB counts with a small speaker for audio  signals.
 
The round LCD will display the data recorded by the sensors.
 
The Module-e is connected to the patch with the attach ring B
OXIMETRY
 
The oximetry is connected with the Module-e through, a USB cable for the transmission of the data.
 
The PCB has the Infrared Light and the control light.
 
The rubber band has two velcros in order to attach the device to the finger of the patient. On the inside there is the cable that will transmit the data from the sensor to the PCB and with the cable to the module-e.
USER INTERFACE
 
In an emergency situation the information is crucial to save the life of the patient.
 
In those cases the person who is going to monitor the patient is not a health care professional and hence the displayed information will just include the basic HR, SpO2 and an electrocardiogram graphic.
 
The device measures the HR, SpO2, ECG and the not displayed RR, and analyse the patterns in order to  anticipate possible complications, in those cases the LCD will display a message advertising the possible complication.
PREDIAGNOSIS
 
The e+ takes all the data and analyses it, then its compared with the pre-saved patterns on the device. If the patterns match, the device displays an alarm message showing the possible situation. With this forecast the person who is monitoring can prevent and react more effecienctly to a possible complication.
PUBLICATIONS
Project published at Yanko Design on the 19-03-2014
 
http://www.yankodesign.com/2014/03/19/emergency-inflight-diagnosis-with-e-patch/
Project published at newtech-enews. com on the 19-03-2014
 
http://www.newtech-enews.com/2014/03/19/e-emergency-patch-by-eduardo-rincn-gallardo-martinez/
Project published at etherealizm.com on the 19-03-2014
 
http://news.etherealizm.com/design-306438.html