RKS’ research, strategy and design aids Hamilton Medical in creating a new category of mobile life-saving ventilators

When illness or injury prevents an individual from the simple task of moving precious air in and out of his lungs, death is only a few moments away. The ventilator is the essential device that takes over for the patient’s breathing functions; its availability, convenience, and functionality are absolutely critical to his survival. Whether at an accident scene, in surgery, or in the ICU, this equipment must integrate within the responders’ or caregivers’ immediate environment and task at hand.

Going Mobile

Hamilton Medical, a leader in technological innovations in respiratory ventilators, collaborated with RKS Design to develop a new and more efficient category of transport-optimized ventilators. The challenge was to incorporate the best features of full-sized, static ventilators into more compact, mobile units, designing a caregiver-centric solution that optimized the patients’ outcomes.

RKS’ methodology, based upon in-depth research as well as ethnography, insight and strategic vision, creates a design language specific to the challenge at hand. In this case, it was essential to identify the needs, aspirations, obstacles and pain points that swirled around caregivers in the critical, dynamic, often highly-charged environment in the field or in the hospital.

In order to develop deep understanding of the first responders’ needs and circumstances, RKS conducted in-depth interviews with EMTs, ICU nurses and others who might reply upon ventilators to keep patients alive after trauma or during transport. What emerged was the caregivers’ emphasis on intuitive, fairly simple equipment that was rugged, reliable and offering great flexibility in use. Bedside use had its requirements, as did a unit tasked to serve a patient gliding slowly through an MRI tunnel. Yet those were quite different from the attributes expected—and needed—of a unit pressed into service at an accident scene or 30,000 feet in the air. It became clear that the basic design would need to be not only flexible enough for a variety of logistical applications, but also lend itself to alternate configurations designed for specific and specialized usage.

The basic needs to elevate the user experience, simplify training and ensure life-saving performance in fast-paced, stressful situations called for the integration of Hamilton’s proprietary full touch-screen interface.

On-site analysis also revealed the need for a minimalist footprint to get the machine where it was needed to be quickly and easily. Along the way, designers were mindful of cost considerations and the economic realities of customers.

Fortified with hard data, insights and strategic tools, RKS set to the task of crystallizing its knowledge into innovative solutions. The process was comprised of intensive and comprehensive creative sessions that led to a series of form studies. Developed through iterative steps from form evaluations to study models and then mock-ups, they were then field-tested to gain further insight and inspiration. Concurrently, RKS collaborated with the teams at Hamilton in Switzerland to integrate all technological aspects, service requirements, durability and COG optimization, working in parallel to develop the design language, enclosures, user experience and mobile optimization.

Requiring less interaction with the equipment for monitoring patients or responding to alarms transformed the clinician’s experience. Carefully considered display layout and data, intelligent knob and control design and adaptable alert parameters allowed the caregiver to focus more on the patient and less on the machine, especially during transport.

Mobility is further optimized through well-considered battery and cord/hose design, while integrated universal attachments accommodate diverse usage scenarios—helicopter mounts, bedside attachment, etc. Within its compact footprint, benefits for both patient and care provider are enhanced, its access to tight quarters allowing it to follow both adult and pediatric patients in the air or on the ground.

RKS leveraged the refined design language and general features in three configurations to accommodate a diverse range of needs. The C1 model is designed to provide ventilation in a variety of mobile ground scenarios, while the M1 caters to the breathing support of ICU patients within the vicinity of an MRI. This model is optimized to service patients through the ICU-MRI procedure without comfort or safety-compromising disruption. The lightweight (6.5kg) T1 is the mobile workhorse of the bunch, designed to ventilate the adult or pediatric ICU patient at any place in the world, accompanying them within and between hospitals, in emergency vehicles, or aboard aircraft.

On-the-go patient care is essential, with minimal disruption. To that end, the T1 configuration includes built-in long-run batteries that can be “hot-swapped”, integrated chargers, power source adaptability and auto-switching between power sources for international travel.

RKS’ ventilator design provides enhanced performance, operational safety, intuitive usability, and refined ergonomics that serve the caregivers well in serving their patients. Designed-in adaptability allows the multi-functional units to meet the varying needs of all ICU patients as well as those en route. With cost-effectiveness, efficiency, ease-of-use as well as the ruggedness essential to mobile medical equipment, the design breathes new life into the world of the emergency caregiver.

Awards:

Research: IDEA (2014)

T1: IDEA Design (2013)

T1: GOOD Design (2012)

C1: GOOD Design (2011)

C2: MDEA — Silver (2010), GOOD (2009), Spark Award — Bronze (2009)

Related Links:

Hamilton Medical on Facebook

Hospimedica.com — Intelligent Ventilation Solution Supports the Mobile ICU

A big thank you to Hamilton Medical for providing the wonderful photography.