Wireless Distribution and Use of Bio-sensor Data

 

During emergency response use of wired bio-sensors create problems for the response workers. It is difficult to transport patients and checking of data requires you to be next to the patient.

We will report on work in progress regarding development of a wireless bio-monitor system that supports distribution and use by all involved parties of bio-sensor data during emergency response.

The system is being developed in close cooperation between doctors, paramedics and IT specialists using qualitative methods including ethnographically inspired field work and simulations of future work.

The system consists of small bio-monitors - with sensors and a unique ID - which are placed on the victims. The bio-monitors communicate wirelessly with one or more base-stations, which distribute the signals locally at the incident site and to remote coordination centres and emergency departments. Ongoing evaluations have already demonstrated the usefulness of being able to move patients without having to take care of wires and being able to inspect bio-sensor data without being next to the patient.

However, new problems have also emerged when no wires connect a patient to a display.

E.g. how do you know whose data you are looking at?

And, when an alarm goes off because the bio-sensor data of a patient reaches a critical threshold, how do you find the patient?

In order to support medical responders on site and at coordination centres/ emergency departments, we are supplementing the bio-sensor data with photographs and descriptions of the injury and injury mechanisms as well as position information.