Paramedics project 10 Week, Term project, 2015 Jon Sommarstrรถm Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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Paramedics project 10 Week, Term project, 2015 Jon Sommarstrรถm
Thank you: Paramedics at the Umeรฅ ambulance station for being so welcoming and answering our questions. Jonas Alex for specific hypothermia related questions. Robert and Frederik at Laerdal for giving useful and constructive feedback. Thomas and Johan at UID for tutoring and support.
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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Table of contents
Abstract
1.0 Abstract............................................................5
Intro
2.0 Introduction.....................................................7
Method
3.0 Initial Research..............................................11 3.1 Ride along...............................................12-13 3.2 Research analysis..................................14 -17 3.3 Identified problem areas............................18 3.4 Area of interest .............................................19 3.5 Causes............................................................20 3.6 Treatment.......................................................21 3.7 Pre-hospital treatment.................................23 3.8 Market.............................................................24 3.9 After drop......................................................25 4.0 Heat loss........................................................27 4.1 Problem definition.......................................29
6.6 Evaluation with paramedics.......................58 6.7 CAD................................................................59 6.8 Workshop...............................................60 -61 6.9 Scenario .................................................64 -65 7.0 Function .................................................66 -67 7.1 Reflection.......................................................71
Appendices
8. 1References.....................................................75 8.2 Planing...........................................................76
Results
5.0 Concept 1...............................................32-33 5.1 Concept 2...............................................34-35 5. 2 Evaluation................................................36-37 5.3 Experience....................................................38 5.4 Math...............................................................40 5. 5 Technology...................................................41 5.6 Development..........................................42-47 5.8 Scenario .................................................48 -49 5.9 Re-evaluation................................................50 6.0 New direction...............................................51 6.1 Ideation sketches.........................................52 6.2 Mock-ups.......................................................53 6.3 Development 2...........................................54 6.4 Tech sketch....................................................55 6.5 Mock-ups.................................................56-57
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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Abstract
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1.0 Abstract
Abstract Currently pre-hospital treatment of hypothermic patients involves administering oxygen due to decreased respiratory function. When oxygen is released from the bottle it converts from a liquid state into a gas and becomes cold. When the oxygen travels between the gas bottle and the reservoir mask it adjusts slightly to the surrounding temperature, ranging between -30 Celcius outdoors and +25 Celsius in the ambulance, never reaching the normal body temperature of 37 Celcius. The cold oxygen inhaled by the patients cools him/or her and complicates treatment. Ember is an oxygen warming and humidifying device that attaches to the tube between the oxygen bottle and resevoir mask. Warm oxygen decreases further respiratory heat loss and helps the patient to regain temperature. The closer the patient is to 37 Celsius, the easier it is to effectively treat him/or her.
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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Intro
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2.0 Introduction Background
This is a 10 week term project regarding (EMS) Emergency Medical Service with focus on pre-hospital care. The paramedics job is to treat persons outside the hospital and if needed bring them in to the emergency clinic for further treatment. They work in various conditions all depending on where the patient is located. They are directed via SOS who receives the alarm calls at first hand. SOS makes a first assessment of the call and categories it depending on priority, the alarm is then directed to the closest available ambulance in the area.
Collaboration
The project is done in collaboration with Västerbottens läns landsting including the ambulance station and the paramedics working in the Umeå region. Design feedback is given by medical technical company Laerdal based in Stavanger Norway.
History
The paramedic profession has evolved a lot in Sweden the recent decade. In the 1980’s it was about drive fast and take the patient to the hospital for treatment. Most paramedics then was not registered nurses and got into the profession to drive rather then treat. Today it has moved towards a situation were they do more treatments at the scene and can give immediate care to the patients who needs it, in most cases.
Jon Sommarström, MFA Advance product design 2015
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https://vimeo.com/145408467
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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Method
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3.0 Initial Research
Visit to the ambulance station
The initial research started with a visit to Umeå ambulance station. The whole class got a walk-through with station manager Ronny Friberg. First we got some general information about the paramedic profession and its development through out the years and carried on in to detail how they work at the station. We got an introduction to their journal system/ triage system in which they prioritize and document their patients. Lars-Åke Lövqvist showed us the different kinds of equipment they have in the ambulance and explained how and when they use it. The station has around 50 full time employees. The ambulance station in Umeå is a part of the Västerbotten regions ambulance service that in total has 14 stations spread out in the county. Umeås station had 14300 alarms 2014 and 1/3
of them was priority 1, around 8% of those alarms was still priority 1 after the paramedics had reached the patient and treated him or her. To be able to give the right treatment when out on alarms the paramedics teams of two always has to consist of at least one registered nurse. The basic paramedic education is one year, but many of them have a 3 year long education to become a registered nurse.
Tärnaby Sorsele Storuman Vilhelmina Dorotea
Åsele
Malå Norsjö Skellefteå Lycksele Vindeln Vännäs
Robertsfors Umeå
Nordmaling Jon Sommarström, MFA Advance product design 2015
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3.1 Ride along
Out on alarm
The next upcoming days we split the class into smaller groups of four and each group visit the station for one day. During these days we got to follow the paramedics in a normal working day. In total all three groups made 28 individual call outs on various alarms ranging from priority one’s to three. We collected data via recordings, photographs and notes made from interviews. It was a nice user group to work with as they are used to have medical students around. The paramedics always told us what they were doing and why they were doing it. Following the paramedics and watching them work was a great experience and one can tell that they like their job even if it is difficult sometimes. The thing that struck me the most was their deep empathy towards their patients
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and the ability to perform their work along with talking and comforting them. When asking them why they like the profession many of them replied that it was the unpredictable workday and the amount of time they got to spend with the patient that they did not have if they would have worked at the hospital. In recent years the amount of calls has increased and it is growing from year to year, what they believe is the reason for this is that people think they are entitled treatment instantly without going to the hospital. Many of these calls can be minor things that is not a matter for the paramedics and take up their time, in worse case this might prevent them from actually saving someone’s life. This was something that seamed to bother them and decrease their motivation.
3.1 Ride along At the station
Between the call outs we interviewed the paramedics and asked questions about their lifestyles and how the profession affected them. Per Lindgren showed us how you can use a simple blanket or cloth to create a sling for draging and moving patients, if you can not use a stretcher. He also showed us how to stabilize motorbike crash victims and the importance of keeping the neck still. They have a lot of techniques and you get to see how focused they are to increase their efficiency while being out on alarms. The trend in the profession seems to be that the paramedics are getting more and more advanced in their education and training and the various kinds of treatment they can perform. The pre-hospital treatment has increased a lot the past decades, it is less about transporting and more about giving early treatment. In general the faster you get treatment the less time is needed for recovery and there are less complications afterwards.
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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3.2 Research analysis
Initial data processing
With the collected data we tried to get everything our group experienced down on paper and organized. The 14 different alarms were written down on post-its and categorized. Many of the calls had similarities in nature and we discovered patterns. While preparing the information in order to present to the other research groups, we sorted out the most interesting and most common calls, to create an average day of a paramedic. One thing is for sure, they can never expect how the day is going to turn out, if they will have time for lunch or if they will have a sandwich in the ambulance on their way to next call.
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3. 2 Research analysis Visual social persona diagram
Divided in new groups we created VSP’s describing the life and workday of a paramedic. Our fictive paramedic Peter Johanson has a family including his wife and three kids. When he is not at work he likes to be out in the forest with his dog and finds it calming and relaxing from his sometimes hectic profession. He has been working as a paramedic for over 20 years and still finds his job interesting. But in recent years he has seen an increased trend of more calls of less importance and that concerns him. -Our job is to save peoples lives but with peoples demand of immediate care even for the smallest things, we are turning in to transportation services and moving healthcare central.
“This is not really a job for us, but we do everything”
Jon Sommarström, MFA Advance product design 2015
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3.2 Research analysis
Brainstorming
To summarize the problems we found during our visits and initial research along with finding new ones, we had a brainstorming sessions in the divided groups. The problems was categorized and grouped into areas for an easier overview. From the huge amount of ideas each group picked out seven that they thought was the most interesting and presented them for the rest of the groups. The 28 presented problems was grouped and together we selected 20 of them to continue to work with. The process was restarted but now we were to brainstorm solutions to the 20 problems we had picked out. In the end we had 20 solutions that were addressing the problems we initially had. Individually we picked one solution each and gave the solution a design and presented it for the rest of the group.
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3. 2 Research analysis
Role play
To get a deeper understanding and evaluate some of the designed solutions, we conducted role plays and acted out a possible scenario were the concept would have been used. As a tool for evaluating concepts it was quite powerful since you get to test the solution in different aspects. It gives you hints if it would be possible to use it in the manner you thought or if other activities performed in the specific scenario would collide or have to be altered for it to function as intended.
Role play showing the concept of an inflating stretcher.
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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3.3 Identified problem areas Problem areas
Problems we experienced and found during our research at the ambulance station. Some of the problems were observed and other given to us while interviewing the paramedics asking them what kind of difficulties they were
facing. The area of thermoregulation caught my interest. Since Ume책 is in a region located quite far north where the climate is rather cold the paramedics face many patient that has hypothermia.
Equipment access
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3.4 Area of interest
The infrared camera tells that the warm blood is centred to the core of the body and head while the limbs are colder.
Thermoregulation
In order for the body to work properly the body needs to be at a the right temperature around 37 degrees Celsius, this is called normothermia.
Hyperthermia
When the body temperature is raised above 38 degrees. Commonly due to heatstroke, differ from fever were the body itself raises the temperature to fight an illness.
Hypothermia
Hyperthermia
Normothermia
Hypothermia
If the body temperature drops below 35 degrees you get into a state called hypothermia. In this state the metabolism is slowed down and the body starts to shiver to regain temperature.
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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3.5 Causes Hypothermia
When the core body drops below 35 degrees you get into a state called hypothermia. As a reaction to the lower temperature the body starts to shiver and move the warm blood to the centre of the body where the vital organs are placed. The shivering is a way for the body to regain temperature by releasing heat energy accumulated when the muscles contract and expand. As our body temperature is around 37 degrees it is fairly easy to become hypothermic even when the environment is quite warm. It all depends on how well the body can regulate itself. If the body do not have enough energy to heat itself one becomes hypothermic. Speaking to the paramedics in Ume책 a common case of hypothermia could be an elderly
Entering hypothermia, body looses more heat then it can regain.
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person that have fallen in their home and been laying on the floor for several hours, another common situation can be that a person have had a smaller traffic accident, walks out of the vehicle to check the damage and gets cold. When the core temperature drops below 32 degress it gets into a life threatening situation, the body stops shivering and the patient starts to become drowsy and confused. There are other reasons for hypothermia besides a cold surrounding environment. It can be due to alcohol consumption that increases the heat loss, or hypoglycaemia when the body do not have enough energy to reproduce heat.
Body starts to shiver to regain temperature
Shivering stops and you get confused and drowsy
3.6 Treatment
Treatment
Depending on the situation it can be done in several ways but initially the cooling of the patient needs to be stopped. If the patient has been in the water it is important to take off the wet clothes and wrap him or her in blankets. They wrap the blankets around the limbs first and then the rest of the body. It is of great importance that the patient gets isolated from the ground. Since the body has a large surface area, it also has a large area which emits heat. If it is possible the patient is brought into the ambulance where they can set the temperature to 30 degrees. When patients have severe hypothermia they can get a cardiac arrest and CPR is needed. Medicines has little or no effect on hypothermic
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
patient due to low metabolism and it has to be taken into account. It is important to give an hypothermic patients IV fluids and energy since the body has used up most of it trying to prevent itself from getting cold, the IV fluid they use contain glucose and is stored in a heated bag at 41 degrees. Fluids any colder then 37 degrees would decrease the body temperature and can have a negative effect on the patient.
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3.7 Pre-hospital treatment Tools
The tools used for hypothermia treatment is basic equipment found in the ambulance, none of them is specific for hypothermia treatment and they are used in other occasions as well. Scissors When a person is in a severe hypothermic state it can be life threatening to move the person, since it can cause cold blood to rush into the centre of the body and cause heart problems. If the person has wet clothes on, or if they for some other reason need to get the clothes of the patient they use a scissors to undress the patient, while keeping the patient still. Blankets They isolate the limbs with blankets before warping the whole body. Since the limbs has a lower temperature then the torso area it is important that the limbs are isolated and not place in a way that they cool down the centre of the body.
Scoop-board When trying to keep the person fixed and preventing the cooled patient to move they use the scoop-board to stabilise the patient. IV Shivering is an early sign of hypothermia, when the body shivers it uses a lot of energy trying to produce heat. When the person stops shivering it has used up all the energy the body has stored, therefore it is important to give the hypothermic patient glucose intra venously. The IV should be kept at a temperature around 42 degrees, but in many cases the temperature of the solution given has already dropped below 37 when it reaches the vein. Oxygen When the body gets colder the metabolism is lowered and the breathing as well. To easy oxygen saturation for the patient oxygen is administrated through a reservoir mask at a flow rate of 10-12l/minute.
Scissors
Oxygen Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
Warm IV
Scoop board 23
3.8 Market Market
Below the most common warming equipment used for treating hypothermia can be seen. They are plotted out in a matrix showing how they are applied to the patient. Internal, inside the patient or external on the outside of the patients body. The products used for external treatment are mostly
focused on isolating the patient from getting further cooled down and to some extent warming. While the internal ones also address other complications connected to hypothermia such as loss of energy (Warm IV) and reduced respiratory function (Oxygen warmer).
Internal Warming
IV Heaters
Facilitating
Obstructing
Oxygen warmer
Blankets/Electric blankets Hot-packs
External Warming
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3.9 After drop After drop
When the hypothermic body gets warmed to fast the patient can get a temperature after drop. The body is centralising the warm blood to protect vital organs and shuts of the limbs. Blood in these areas has a lower temperature. If these areas are warmed instead of the centre of the body, cold blood can rush into the centre and cause a drop of the core body temperature. In worst case this after drop in temperature can result in heart failure.
As showed in the graph, warming the patient in a hot bath is very effective, but also results in a after drop in core body temperature. Warming the body with inhaled and humidified warm air is more favourable but less effective 5*.
Bath rewarming
Temperature change
Inhalation rewarming
Shivering only
Shaded are shows afterdrop in heart temperature
Rewarming time
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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You lose 10-30% of your body heat through respiration
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4.0 Heat loss Heat Loss
The body looses heat in five major ways. 4* Radiation Heat radiates from our bodies, 60 -85% of our internal heat is vented out through the head and neck area. The whole body constantly radiates out heat, similar to how a stove feels warm if you hold you hand above it. In total 30-35% of our body heat is lost trough radiation. Respiration We breath in air that is cold and exhale air that is warmed. Depending on the climate and if we are working or resting we loose between 10-30% of our heat trough respiration 3*
Convection The heat loss through convection depends on the movement of air, if the air around us is moving fast we lose more heat and if it moves slowly we lose less. Can be noticed while being outdoors at a certain temperature, if it is windy it feels a lot colder rather then if it is less windy. Conduction When our body comes in contact with a cooler object we loose temperature faster. Imagen laying on the cool ground rather then standing up. The bigger the contact surface is the more heat we lose. Perspiration/Moisture When the body looses heat it brings moisture along through perspiration. If the body gets wet either through sweat or water it looses heat faster. If the body is completely soaked we loose heat up to 30 times faster then if the body is dry.
Cardiovascular system
The cardiovascular system helps to transfer heat through out the body. That means that we can loose or gain temperature effectively if we ad warm/cool elements to the areas where we have large arteries and veins close to the skin. Theses areas are wrists, ankles, groin and around the neck.
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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40-60% of trauma patients suffers from hypothermia when the paramedics arrive at the scene.
Lunds Universitet- Hypothermi i samband med prehospitalt trauma6 28
4.1 Problem definition Problem
The need to thermoregulate patients is of great importance to treat patients faster and reduce the risk of further complications in pre-hospital care. There is several different techniques and types of equipment that can help the paramedic to warm the patients today, in many cases there
is a need to use a selection of them for effective treatment. Many of them have downsides to them, they can be hard to apply at the scene, not portable or they can be in the way and obstruct other treatments needed.
Goal
Wishes
Provide paramedics with a tool that helps treat hypothermic patients, that is easy to apply without obstructing other treatments.
*Fit within existing ecosystem of pre-hospital equipment. *Easy to carry when needed outside the ambulance, reduce strain on paramedic. *Monitor the patient status *Hygienic
“If we felt how cold the patients are maybe we would be reminded to turn up the heat in the car”.
Jon Sommarström, MFA Advance product design 2015
Erik Palmcrantz - Umeå Ambulance station 22/11
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Results
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Re-evaluation
Refine
Develop
Ideation
Testing
Mock-up
Refine
Develop
Result
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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5.0 Concept 1
Heat west 32
5.0 Concept 1 Heat west
Aiming for a solution that does not obstruct further treatment while externally warming the patient leaves not much room to move. Warming around the neck area and armpits is effective since the body has large blood vessels close to the skin. The neck area is also still accessible even though the body is wrapped in blankets. A heating west could utilise the same technique as warming pads that gets
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
warm trough a chemical reaction. Using a technique such as the warming pads would make for an affordable and easy to use one time use product. The mock-up is made of fabric and filled with rice allowing for trying out the feel of getting warmed around the neck. It gives a comfortable warming sensation and does not feel that intrusive.
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5.1 Concept 2
Oxygen Warmer 34
5.1 Concept 2 Warm oxygen
Current hypothermia treatment involve administering oxygen to the patient. The reason for giving oxygen is due to lower metabolism and breathing rate. When the oxygen comes out of the tube it is fairly cold but adjusts slightly to the surrounding temperature in the tube on its way to the mask. The result is that the patient breaths in oxygen with a temperature close to the outside temperature and
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
breaths out carbon-dioxide that has the same temperature as the body. This ending up in a heat loss for the body. The warm oxygen concept addresses this through heating and humidifying the oxygen and prevents the patient from losing body heat trough respiration.
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5. 2 Evaluation
Heat west
Warm oxygen
Concept to continue
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5.2 Evaluation
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Possibly very cheap to manufacture
Hard to use along with stiff neck
Easy to apply on patient Less intrusive Does not need electricity
Address heat loss through respiration
Could be intrusive to the patient
Does not obstruct other treatments
Hygiene and reuse
Easy to fit in the medicine bag
Needs electricity
Can be applied in a confined space
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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5.3 Experience Experience warm air
To know how it felt to inhale warm and humidified oxygen I made a test rig in the kitchen. Connecting a hose to a mask and to a lid on top of a pot with boiling water. The steam from the boiling water passed through the hose into the mask.
When inhaling the warm air you instantly felt how a warm feeling spread out in the upper torso and how it warmed you up from the inside.
https://vimeo.com/153819093
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Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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5.4 Math Estimated use
In order to know how much water and battery capacity needed for the concept. Time of use is estimated to 1hour, in some cases it could be far less and in some cases longer. Breathing An average person can inhale 0,5liters of air in one breath. We take around 15 breaths per minute. This equals 450liters of air/oxygen per hour. At a relative humidity of 70% and a temperature of 40 degrees, this amount of oxygen can hold 13,5grams of water.
1hour breathing = 450liters air/oxygen = Relative humidity at 70% at 40degrees = 13,5g water
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Steam To create steam from 13,5grams of water with a temperature of 0 degrees. The same amount of energy that can be stored on 1,5 Iphone battery. The most energy is used to get the 100 degrees warm water to boil.
Energy needed to steam 13,5g water = 1,5 Iphone battery
5. 5 Technology Humidifier
There are three different ways of humidifying oxygen that would be suitable for the mask application. Ultrasonic 1 An ultrasonic membrane vibrates the water in to small droplets that is picked up by the oxygen. Does not need that much energy but does not increase the temperature of the water.
Gas through water 3 The oxygen is passed through a water cartridge and picks up humidity. Does not demand any extra energy but do not increase the temperature of the moist.
Heating element 2 A hot Kanthal thread is heating the water until it turns into steam and then is picked up by the oxygen. Needs a lot of energy since the water is heated to boiling temperature.
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Monitoring respiration
Monitoring carbon dioxide levels on a hypothermic patient could give important information about the patient condition. The method of measuring CO2 levels is called capnography and can be done with a sensor fitted next to the exhale valve on the mask. Picture showing Emma a capnometer from Masimo
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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5.6 Development Sketches
Ideation sketching various version. Trying out were to fit the parts needed and figuring out wanted functions and placement of them.
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5.6 Development
Carbon dioxide out Steam and oxygen mixer
Oxygen in
Water cartridge
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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5.6 Development
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5.6 Development Prototyping
Trying out the design with a simple CAD model and a Makerbot 3D printer. The hooks holding the mask in place along with the body was to big and the product felt clumsy.
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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5.6 Development Sketching
Sketch iteration solving problems with previous design. Reduced in size and better separation of the one time use parts and reusable heater. In this iteration a screen for
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respiration feedback was incorporated after feedback from the paramedics.
5.7 Tech sketch Warming Oxygen
The water from the reservoir in the mask is vaporized and picked up by the oxygen that is flowing past. Generating warm and humidified oxygen.
Oxygen in
Water reservoir
Steam mixed with Oxygen
Heating element
Humidified and warm oxygen out
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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5.8 Scenario Paramedics arrive at the scene of a traffic accident.
Preparing the oxygen equipment.
Connecting the mask to the oxygen bottle.
Places the mask on the patient.
Pealing of the seal for the water reservoirs.
Attaching the monitor and heating device.
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5.8 Scenario Monitor the respiration while giving other treatment.
After use the mask is thrown away.
The device is placed in a charger inside the ambulance.
Sketching
The scenario is describing how the mask would be used in a situation were a hypothermic patient would be given warm oxygen to regain temperature.
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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5.9 Re-evaluation Re-evaluation
When putting the concept in to a scenario there were some things that did not match with my goals. Putting all the technology into one small part did not feel right since the paramedics work in stressful environment with a lot of equipment, things can easily get lost or forgotten. The mask would have to be more intrusive to the patient then
Contrary Intrusive to patient Small parts and to many options Would need different sized masks Does not fit with different kinds of mask
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the mask they currently use. In order to function properly the mask needs to fit the patient face and there would be a need for different sized mask and the smallest mask would be to small to fit all parts needed.
6.0 New direction New direction - Tube warmer
Evaluating the concept and realizing that it was not fulfilling my goals. I had to look back to my earlier variations of warming oxygen ideas. Discussing the mask and oxygen bottle setup with the paramedics, I got to know that the tubes connecting the various kinds of oxygen equipment
and the gas bottle have a standard dimension. It became clear that it was a more logic path to take.
New direction
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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6.1 Ideation sketches
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6.2 Mock-ups Heater mock-ups.
Testing out the size of the initial idea and how big the water cartridge needed to be and various formats along with button sizes. This basic mock-up also gave me some clues
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
on how to fit it on the patient and if it needed to have a holder that kept it in place when placed on patient.
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6.3 Development 2 Sketch development
Changing perspective and moving to a concept that can be retro fitted to any oxygen equipment gave more room for the components and the product sized could be increased without it feeling to bulky and being in the way. The key sketch was the foundation upon which further development
was implemented. The product was now a pure oxygen warmer and had a clear distinction between the one time use parts and the reusable part. The grey part is the battery pack and the green one houses the water and the Kanthal spiral that heats the water.
Key sketch
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6.4 Tech sketch Humidifying unit
The one time use humidifying unit consist of a tube that is filled with water. Oxygen passes through the water and picks up water particles and get humidified. The Kanthal heating spiral warms up the water to a specific temperature depending on the surrounding temperature in order
for the humidified oxygen to have the right temperature when reaching the patient. The temperature of the oxygen being inhaled is estimated to be around 45 degrees. It is important that it does not get to warm since it can damages sensitive tissue in the respiratory system.
Oxygen in
Water reservoir
Heating element
Humidified and warm oxygen out
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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6.5 Mock-ups
Heater mock-ups.
With the key sketch as a guide a prototype was made for evaluation before going into CAD. Final details revised and tested. Still not sure if the device needed a clip to be
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secured, one was added to the model and later adressed with paramedics.
6.5 Mock-ups
Heater mock-ups.
A first quick model was made in CAD to address some details that I wanted to refine from the handmade mock-
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
up. This model was also brought to the paramedics to get reactions on the size and if it felt durable enough.
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6.6 Evaluation with paramedics Evaluation with paramedics
Showing the concepts for the paramedics and discussing the functions. Paramedic Peter Johansson did not find the clip important since it could just hang in the hose, a clip would just ad extra work for them in a time critical situation.
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6.7 CAD
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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6.8 Workshop
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6.8 Workshop
https://vimeo.com/153819749
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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6.9 Scenario
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6.9 Scenario
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Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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7.0 Function How it works
Cold oxygen enters the device and passes through the water cartridge and gets humidified and warmed. The heating element is warming the water according to the surrounding temperature so the patient gets the right
temperate oxygen. The water reservoir has a internal foam structure that keeps the cartridge evenly soaked and makes it non tilt sensitive.
Humidified and warm oxygen out
Heating element
Battery Water reservoir
Temperature sensor
Cold oxygen in 66
7.0 Function Charging
Ember has a battery capacity that lasts two cartridges. When the battery is low the light bar turns red and it needs to be recharged. The charger is placed inside the ambulance and the device connects in the same way as you click on the
Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
cartridge. Each ambulances would have two Ember units one that is placed in the oxygen equipment bag and one that is on the charger.
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Jon Sommarstrรถm, MFA Advance product design 2015
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7.1 Reflection Goals and Wishes
The concept full fills the goal of designing a product that help paramedics to treat hypothermic patients in a way that does not obstruct other treatments. It also corresponds to the wishes of fitting into the ecosystem of the pre-hospital equipment without any needs of changing the current. The product can be introduced and used in current ambulances and work methods with very little change to procedures. In terms of maintenance and hygiene the product is simple to clean of with alcohol and the one time use part is discarded after use. It is small enough to put in the oxygen equipment bag but large enough to use in a fast and easy way with gloves.
Project reflections
The process of getting to the final result demanded bigger and smaller iterations. Working on the mask concept for a longer period and later discard it to restart with the final concept needed some thinking and personal goals evaluation. In the end I am happy that I took the decision, it made the device into a product with one goal, to warm hypothermic patients. In future projects I want to start out more open and dig in deeper into them before deciding for a concept to refine and finalise. Develop my skills in quick visualisation, concept evaluation and communicative sketch techniques.
The wish of incorporate monitoring of temperature and respiration was discarded to focus on the pure treatment and warming function of the device and to avoid a complicated interaction.
During the last week of the project my colleague Jenny Holmsten and I was invited to talk on radio P4 Västerbottens morning show about our projects. At the final presentation journalist from several news magazines attended and my project got coverage in Västerbottens Kuriren.
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8. 1References Reference - Web
1*Robine, Jean-Marie; Cheung, Siu Lan K.; Le Roy, Sophie; Van Oyen, Herman; Griffiths, Clare; Michel, Jean-Pierre; Herrmann, François Richard (2008). “Death toll exceeded 70,000 in Europe during the summer of 2003”. Comptes Rendus Biologies 331 (2): 171–178. doi:10.1016/j.crvi.2007.12.001. ISSN 1631-0691. PMID 18241810. Retrieved 21 November 2015. 2* Abderrezak Bouchama, M.D., and James P. Knochel, M.D. N Engl J Med 2002; 346:1978-1988June 20, 2002DOI: 10.1056/NEJMra011089 Retrieved 21 November 2015. 3* Cain, J., Livingstone, S., Nolan, R., & Keefe, A. (1990). Respiratory heat loss during work at various ambient temperatures. Respiration Physiology, 145-150. 4* http://elementmountain.com/den-post/heat-loss-5-methods/ 5* Hayward, J., Eckerson, J., & Kemna, D. (1983). Thermal and cardiovascular changes during three methods of resuscitation from mild hypothermia. Resuscitation. Retrieved December 22, 2015. 6*Wihlborg,J (2007). Hypotermi i samband med prehospitalt trauma, Lunds Universitet)
Pictures:
Photos taken by APD1 during visit at ambulance station and at UID during research phase.
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Presentation
Model
Visuals
CAD
Form
Report
Mockup
Ideation
Research
Week 48
Week 50
Week 51
Week 52
Ideation presentation Laerdal 4/12
Submission Ideation presentation 3/12
Concept presentation 16/12
Tutoring Johan 15/12
Sketch Course 7-10/12
Week 49
Tutoring Johan 1-2/12
Tutoring Johan 24-25/11
Submission Design Brief 23/1
Discussion Laerdal 19-20/11
Week 47
Week 01
Week 03
External presentation 22/1
Internal presentation 20/1
Paint Course 13-14/1
Week 02
8.2 Planing
Jon Sommarstrรถm Sommarstroem.com jon@sommarstroem.com +46736698897
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