RESCUE LINK B A C H E LO R T H E S I S R E P O RT 1 5 H P S O N YA S WA N
H OW TO I M P R OV E T H E M O U N TA I N R E S C U E W O R K A N D FAC I L I TAT E THE TRANSPORT OF THE INJURED PERSON?
Question formulation
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TA B L E O F C O N T E N T B AC KG R O U N D Collaboration Delimitations Target group why mountain rescue? Timeplan
F O R M D E V E LO P M E N T
s. 11 s. 11 s. 11 s. 11 s. 12
Form expression MOOD board FORM board CMF board FUNCTION RANKING STRETCHER heating part FUNCTION ideation Form ideation
s. 17 s. 17 s. 18 s. 19 s. 19 s. 20 s. 20 s. 21 s. 22 s. 22 s. 24 s. 25 s. 26 s. 29
REFINEMENT
RESEARCH Mountain rescue TODAY used Equipment existing products The organisation New technology PHONE COVERAGE FUTURE CHALLENGES INCREASING TREND The injured HYPOTHERMIA Problem definition Conclusion Activity chart MY VISION
I D E AT I O N WORKSHOP Brainstorming Conceptualization allround spine board rescue system mountain rescue kit Chosen concept Function ranking HOW TO MINIMIZE HYPOTHERMIA?
Content
s. 32 s. 34 s. 36 s. 37 s. 38 s. 39 s. 40 s. 41 s. 42
CAD Measurements Color Chosen color
s. 46 s. 47 s. 48 s. 49 s. 50 s. 51 s. 52 s. 53
s. 56 s. 57 s. 58 s. 59
R E S U LT rescue link interface structure Scenario functions color, material & finish details Summary Model making Exibition
s. 62 s. 64 s. 66 s. 70 s. 72 s. 74 s. 78 s. 80 s. 82
C I TAT I O N S Citation Contacts
s. 84 s. 85
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Picture 1.
B AC KG R O U N D
50%
95%
50%
Half of all rescues occurs during summer season
Minor injuries ex. a sprained foot or broken arm
Of all rescues are done by helicopter
60%
30%
10%
Ambulance helicopter
Police helicopter
Civil helicopter
Picture 3. Statistics
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A B S T R AC T To spend the holiday in the mountains is an increasing interest. Besides hiking, down hill mountain biking and climbing are increasing trends during the summer. During the winter season mostly skiiers are taking over the mountains. More people in the mountains implies more accidents and the rescue is extremely important in these tough situations and remote environments. In the recent years, the Swedish tourist association had an increased number of visitors in the mountains. Now there are ca 300 mountain rescue missions every year, evenly distributed over the winter and summer season. 95 % of all missions are minor injuries, like a broken leg or a sprained foot. Regardless what kind of injury, it is most often impossible for the person to be able to walk back to the civilsation why the person is in need of help of the Mountain rescue. Only in Norrbotten in 2016, there were over 170 rescue missions. Mostly were about retrieval an injured, but some were about personal tracking. Most of the people in the mountains during the winterseason have experience and knowledge about the risks, but the situation looks different during the summer. The summer season attracts
Abstract
more inexperienced people to the mountains and among them a lot of tourists. They don’t bring the right tools to be able to handle all situations that can happen in these remote environments. A lot of the rescue missions are these people in need of help. The major problem is the hypothermia for the injured person which depends on the long wait time for the Mountain rescue to arrive. This because of heavy and ponderous equipment, hard locational and access - which takes time and effort. As well as the problem to as simple and safely as possible transport the injured the whole way to the hospital. During the project I will look into how the mountain rescue can be improved and form an improved entirety with rescuing at the mountains. With focus on how to streamline the mountain rescue work and minimize the injuries for the victim. The final result is a concept consisting both a stretcher and an application that combined reduces the risk for hypothermia of the person in need, facilitates the transport of the injured person and simplifies the rescue chain.
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Picture 2. Mountain rescue
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“You can’t compare how many people that are ski touring now than some years ago, there are ski trails on almost every mountain now” //Anders Bergwall Mountain rescuer
“There are a lot of inexperienced people who haven’t been out in these remote environments before” //Per-Olov Wikberg, coordinator at the Mountain Security council
”Half of our alarms have incorrect positioning and we have to start with a personal tracking before we can locate the injured person” //Anders Bergwall Mountain rescuer
Citations
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Picture 4. Mountain rescue
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C O L L A B O R AT I O N
TA R G E T G R O U P
The project was conducted in collaboration with the Swedish mountain rescue and the company Aptum. These collaboration partners have been a source of information and feedback during the project. Aptum has sponsored this project.
The primary target group are the Mountain rescue team, who will use my result. The secondary target group are people located in the wilderness, it could be among the mountains, in the forest or by a lake. These people can be skiiers, climbers, downhill-bikers or hikers.
W H Y M O U N TA I N R E S C U E ?
D E L I M I TAT I O N S The scope of the project is limited to improving the existing technique and products for fixation of the injured. When I’m talking about mountain rescue I mean rescue outside the slopes.
Background
I like to spend a lot of time in the nature and I have a background in skiing, climbing and hiking. Last spring I was skiing off piste with some friends when one of my friend fell and got a spiral fracture on the leg. Lucky we were close to the ski system but still we had to wait for help in 45 minutes, and then it took further 2 hours before she was down from the mountain in the ambulance. This accident made me think more about how easy it is to get injured at the mountains and how hard it is to get help. Which led me to my topic about mountain rescue.
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TIMEP
V7
V8
V9
V10
V11
REASEARCH ANALYZE
Brief Fieldstudies Interviews Observations Statistics & reports Market research
Interviews Sumarize
IDEATION
Focus areas Delimitation
Gear & equipment, market
Make a flowchart
Target group/ user, make a persona
Inspiration Moodboards
First sketches
Workshop Conclusion
Define 3 concepts User testing
Problem definition
Technology Form 3 concepts
D
Brainstorm Formboard
Chose final concept
Ideation Sketching Conceptualization Scenario Mock-up User testing
Picture 5. Timeplan
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PLAN
V12
V13
V14
V15
V16
DEVELOPMENT Evaluation CAD Refinement Define concept
DELIVER Formstudy Detailing,logo Construction CAD Color, material, finish Start model
Storytelling/ storyboard
Presentation & material
Prototyping
Model
Varnish the model
Model
Finish the report
Make a poster
Write report
Presentation
Prepare for UID talks
THESIS REPORT
Timeplan
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Picture 6.
RESEARCH
Mountain rescue
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M O U N TA I N R E S C U E TO DAY U S E D E Q U I P M E N T The usual emergency service like the ambulance etc, have only “search for missing” up to 500m from drivable road, after 500m the police and the Mountain rescue takes over. The police is responsible for the rescue in the swedish mountains. Their help is the Mountain rescue which is an organization built up by volunteers who educates and equippes by the police. There are ca 400 volunteers working with mountain rescue in Sweden. They are devided in 30 units, each having a geographical area of responsibility in Norrbotten, Västerbotten, Jämtland and Dalarna. Except the general mountain rescue there are also two alpine mountain rescue groups and two cave rescue groups in Sweden, specialized at their area. No one is working fulltime at the Mountain rescue in Sweden. When the Mountain rescue is contacted by the police in a rescue mission they first have to leave their other work to be able to start the next one. This is a time-consuming element that also affects the injured who has to wait a long time for help.
THE SLEDGE
+ Efficient Built-in heat
Enables fixation (as the back board can be placed inside)
-
Mountain rescue today
Can only be used on snow
Today the Mountain rescue have three different resources to use for the transportation of the injured. The first instrument is a sledge on skiis with built-in heat, which is used during the winter season. The second one is a stretcher with a supportive wheel, a good help in transporting the injured during the summerseason. The last one is a back board for fixation which can be used all year. The back board enables fixation of the back and neck for the injured, which not the other two resources do. When in need of fixation of the injured during the winter season the back board can be used and placed inside the sledge. This is a problem during the summer season when using the wheel stretcher, as the back board does not fit into the wheel stretcher. In this case the mountain rescue have to carry the whole weight of the patient or place and fix the board on top of the wheel stretcher which is extra heavy and unstable.
THE WHEEL STRETCHER
THE SPINE BOARD
+ Lighter with the supportive
+
-
-
wheel
Ponderous Time-consuming No fixation
Enables fixation Possible to use all year Heavy and ponderous Time-consuming
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EXISTING PRODUCTS There are a lot of different stretchers, boards and other transportation resources at the market today. All products are good at different things and most often no resource fullfills all the requirements the user may have. Therefore, the user must bring and use several different resources at a rescue, which takes a lot of space and time. I have categorized the market of the stretchers in some groups; The KED vest, scoop board, back board, vacuum mattress and rescue litter. The vest is good for extrication and is possible
to use as fixation into the other stretchers and the scoop board is a help for scooping up a laying person. A lot of rescue teams are using those equipments together with some of the other stretchers. Why the swedish mountain rescue does not have better equipment is an economic aspect. There are better stretchers at the market but they are too expensive. By using the Titanium split-apart rescue litter their work would have been easier as it is possible for fixation, accepted for vinsching by helicopters and has a supportive wheel.
RESCUE LITTER
For fixation and transportation
KED VEST/ OREGON SPINE SPLINT For fixation and extrication
Products
SCOOP BOARD
SPINE BOARD
VAC U U M M AT T R E S S
For scooping up a person
For fixation and transporting a short distance
For fixation and transporting
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T H E O R G A N I S AT I O N
N E W T E C H N O LO G Y
The swedish maritime Safety is a similar organisation as the Mountain rescue, but a big difference is that the maritime safety has better equipments. This depends on their economy which is much better. - Why can’t the Mountain rescue work as the same way as the maritime safety?
There are some research done and ongoing about heating mattresses and if it can be combined in a stretcher. The problem is where to take the energy from when out in the nature. Does the stretcher need to be charged before the rescue starts or can it be charged by motor vehicles? Is there any other technique that can be used?
The maritime Safety is an organisation built up of volunteers (like the Mountain rescue) and donations. Their work is driven forward thanks to the many non-profit efforts. Much of the daily operation is covered by dues from over 100 000 members. The situation looks different for the Mountain rescue organisation as they are a public emergency service controlled by the police and not self-contained. The police assigns equipment to the Mountain rescue who don’t have the possibility to affect the choice of resources etc. Some resources are not assigned of the police, like a snow scooter or skis, the rescuer has to buy these important equipment on his own. I would like to create a concept where the Mountain rescue has the same possibilities as the maritime safety.
New technology
Many countries have a new modern app that can send an emergency alarm with location coordinates, which saves a lot of time in a rescue. In Iceland the app is called “112 Iceland app”, it is used succesfully of both tourists and locals as it is a good addition for the rescue team when not having the precise location of the victim. This type of app was first seen in Sweden in February this year when the swedish mountain security council released “Fjällsäkerhetsappen”. This app also enables recording message, mountain map and safety tips. The “113 luftambulanse app” is another new modern app. It’s made of the ambulance helicopter team in Norway and can only be used there. In this app the ambulance helicopter is using the people on the ground to get information and help with the landing area, to be able to make a safe and secure landing as possible in a rescue situation.
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P H O N E C O V E R AG E
FUTURE CHALLENGES
All the applications requires both phone coverage to be fulled used and a charged battery which often is a problem in this environment. If a person wants to for example alarm with location coordinates phone coverage is needed. The phone coverage today is a minimal problem in Jämtland, but sometimes a problem in Västerbotten and often a huge problem in Norrbotten. It happens that a friend to the injured person has to walk up a bit more on the hill to get coverage and be able to alarm about the accident. This is also a problem for the rescue service who sometimes have troubles to get in contact with the injured person again. In this situation the wait-time can be much longer, as the rescue team need to search for the injured instead of being able to call back and ask about the right position.
Because of the urbanisation there are not so many people living in the mountains anymore and the rescue can be miles away, which is a growing problem. At the same time more people want to spend their holiday in the mountains and more people implies more accidents. In this scenario I think it’s really important to be able to help each other. If it’s emergency, like an avalanche alarm the rescue won’t be able to be there in time to help those people in most situations. The responsibility is on the rest of the team or other people in the close area.
As the technique develops fast and more people are spending time in the mountains I believe the phone coverage and battery will be improved and won’t be a big problem in 10 years.
Future
M O R E P E O P L E I N T H E M O U N TA I N S I M P L I E S M O R E AC C I D E N T S
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INCREASING TREND To venture the wilderness and the mountains has become a rising trend. The alpine mountain rescuer Anders Bergwall tried to anticipate why in an interview with Husky podcast. He thinks the trend may be based on environmental awareness - people want to travel in the countryside in an environmentally friendly way. Nowadays a lot of people want to hike up the mountain instead of taking the helicopter. Through this trend many inexperienced people are now visiting the mountains with a little knowledge about how to handle tough situations. They don’t bring the right equipment or tools to manage for example an simple injury or a storm. Those people are most often hiking during the summer and stands for the most rescues during
Trend
this time of the year. Which is a growing problem for the rescue team. In recent years the equipment has developed and has taken a huge step forward. The ski gear is incredibly light and is easy to hike up and to ski down with. It is possible to ski fast and stable with the gear. People can get the illusion of security when using a helmet and back protection and this together with the modern fast skiing style can be problematic. We have to keep up with the development of the equipment so we can manage it, but the security awareness has not envolved and kept pace with the equipment. Which also is the reason for some of the accidents in the mountains.
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THE INJURED I have done some interviews with persons who have been in accidents at the mountains, to be able to see their side of the problem with mountain rescue. At this point I got a more comprehensive picture of the whole rescue part which led me to new interesting ideas. A general problem for the injured seems to be the long wait-time for the rescue team to arrive. During this time the injured often feels unsecure, cold and sometimes also scared which depends on the situation. The persons I interviewed didn’t get any information about when the rescue should arrive after the accident, information they would had liked to have. Sometimes it’s impossible for the rescue to say an arriving time because they don’t actually know how long everything will take. The long wait time is not only tiring for the injured person, it often leads to hypothermia which cause an increased bleading for the injured which may be serious. For an injured person the bleading is significantly greater when the body temperatur is 36°C than if it’s normal 37°C. I did an interview with Frida Halvorsen who was carbon monoxide poisoning by the heating with gas burners when she was camping with a friend at Torneträsk (20 km from Abisko) during the winter season. They had to wait 6 hours for the rescue to arrive in the dark januari night. Luckly they had brought good equipment to manage the long wait-time. I listened at the interview with Andrea Mannberg by Husky podcast where she tells about the bad communication she and her two friends perceived with SOS after they had been in an avalanche in Kittelfjäll. The alarm station didn’t have the knowledge to locate the accident in this mountain area, they never understood
The injured
the location and beacuse of that they sent the rescue team to the wrong location. In hindsight Andrea and her friends know they should have called the ski patrol instead of SOS as they have better knowledge about the area. The accident happend 3 km from the ski system, still they had to wait ca 3 hours for the rescue to arrive - as they got the wrong loaction. Andrea and her firends finally arrived to the hospital 6 hours after the accident.
H Y P OT H E R M I A A person is suffering hypothermia when the body temperature is lowering to below 35°C. Our bodies have a temperature regulating system which means that when the body temperature goes below 37°C we are exposed to cold stress and forced to increase our fysical activity. But when the body temperature goes below 35°C the reulating system is threated and below 32°C our life is in danger. Trauma affects the heating concentration negative, or eliminates it completely, which makes the victim cold very fast. The injured person will quickly lose heat and drop in body temperature. Hypothermia affects the body’s organ systems including the impact on the nervous system, coagulation, respirationssytsemt, renal function and fluid balance, and have a direct survival value. In Sweden hypothermia causes ca 30-45 deaths every year. This is the official number but it’s unrecorded. The deadly hypothermia mainly affects three different groups; intoxicated persons, persons with some form of mental disorder or dementia, or persons doing their avocation and affects of accidents in cold climate.
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The biggest problems for the injured person:
Long wait time
Hypothermia
Increased bleading
Hypothermia
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PROBLEM DEFINITION Through my research and interviews with the Time and cold problem: Mountain rescue I saw three major problems with this type of rescue; the transport of the It’s not uncommon for an injured at the injured and the wait time and cold for the injured. mountain to wait for help for several hours. One hour waiting time is considered as a short Transport problem: wait time and a relatively rapid effort of the Mountain rescue. The long wait time implies an Due to the bad equipment used today the even bigger problem - hypothermia. Regardless transportation of the injured is a problem which time of the year the injured in most cases (see s.X). This could be better by using other has hypothermia and an increased bleading equipment on the market, but still there would when help arrives. be some problems hard to solve, like the number of transhipments of the injured and the The long wait time is partly due to the heavy and hypothermia. ponderous equipment, hard access and difficult locationing (of the injured) for the Mountain All the stretchers used by the Mountain rescue rescue. The injured person doesn’t always know today are not approved for heli-winching the current location which can make misleading (helicopter lifting with a stretcher underneath) instructions to the rescue team, so they have to and do not fit into the helicopter stretcher or into search for the victim. Overall, the rescue time the ambulance stretcher. Which requires shifting is longer during the summerseason beacuse of the injured from one stretcher to another. A of the bare ground where snow scooter or skis transhipment is a time consuming and a difficult can’t be used. element as well as a painful process that gives an increased risk of injury to the victim. Is it possible to include warmth in the stretcher? How can I simplify the rescue chain to get a less Is it possible to reduce the number of time-consuming and a more workable rescue at transhipments by designing a stretcher the mountains? that suits the helicopter, ambulance and the mountain rescue work?
Problems
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CO N C LU S I O N There is an increased number of rescue missions at the mountains which is expensive as it takes a lot of time and effort. The Mountain rescue is working hard with their heavy and ponderous stretchers that doesn’t fit the other emergency services and to locate the injured. The injured is suffering hypothermia and feels insecure
because of not knowing what will happen or when the help will arrive. As well as the whole rescue chain is a bit divided and in need of an improved system where all parts can be involved and get the same information in a simple way.
Problems:
Hard localization
Conclusion
Bad stretchers
Complicated rescue chain
The injured feels insecure
Long wait time
Suffering hypothermia
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AC T I V I T Y C H A R T The mountain rescue is an extensive process with many different elements that need to match. This activity chart shows the process of today, from an injury at the mountain until the the injured person is at the hospital. The scenario depends on the season, surroundings, weather and what type of injury.
SUMMER SEASON
Identified problems Injured person at mountain calling 112
The garage - where the team keep their equipment
The police decides if the Mountain rescue should be involved
Leaving work
WINTER SEASON
HARD LOCA
Activity chart
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A LOT OF HEAVY AND PONDEROUS EQUIPMENT TO BRING
If possible the injured person can be winched by a police helicopter
LONG WAIT TIME, COLD, UNSECURE AND DOESN’T KNOW WHEN THE RESCUE WILL ARRIVE
The spine board is used when the injured is in need of fixation
NO FIXATION FOR NECK AND BACK INJURY
THE STRETCHER IS NOT APPROVED FOR WINCHING. THE HELICOPTER DOESN’T HAVE ANY STRETCHER
ATIONING
Activity chart
HEAVY SPINE BOARD
The ambulance helicopter
THE BACK BOARD DOESN’T FIT INTO THE AMBULANCE OR HELICOPTER STRETCHER
The ambulance meets up at the nearest road
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FOCUS
Time
Hypothermia
Rescue chain
Picture 7. Focus
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MY VISION I want to look into how the mountain rescue can person an improved transport. As well as an be improved and form an improved entirety with improved entirety with rescue that also can rescuing at the mountains. inspire and help other rescue situations. My goal with the project is to immerse myself into the mountain rescue process and to investigate the possibilities to facilitate the mountain rescue. My prospect is to develop a concept that both gives the mountain rescue an improved rescue work and gives the injured
HOW?
Vision
The result of the project will be a concept that solves the identified problems with mountain rescue that I chose to focus on. The result will be presented as a fysical model with presentation, a poster and a report where the whole design process will be documented.
W H AT ?
I M P R OV E T H E M O U NTA I N R E S C U E
WHO?
FOR THE INJURED PERSON AND THE RESCUE SERVICE
WHERE?
AT T H E M O U N T A I N S
WHEN?
5-10 YEARS FROM NOW
WHY?
TO S T R E A M L I N E T H E M O U NTA I N RESCUE WORK AND MINIMIZE THE INJURIES FOR THE VICTIM
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Picture 8.
I D E AT I O N
WORKSHOP For analysing different types of stretchers I participated in a workshop about extrication from vehicles. The goal was to compare different stretchers and to see pros and cons with them during extrications. As an extrication from an vehicle is similar to for example an accident where the injured person has fallen down between some rocks or in a ice crack
Workshop
this workshop was interesting for me as well. It also gave me experience of how a stretcher can be used in a accident and what functions that are neccessary. I had the opportunity to try out being rescued myself, which gave me new thoughts about how the injured person might feel in these situations.
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I tried to be the injured person.
Extrication from vehicles
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B R A I N S TO R M I N G I wanted to explore my thoughts if my concept some how could involve the injured person in the rescue. I did this by organizing a workshop where I together with four students from my school explored the scenario where one person
in a team is injured at the mountain. We tried to imagine different situations at the mountain and act after them. In the end we could see some things the injured person would like to have during the wait-time for rescue;
C O M M U N I C AT I O N W I T H A D O C T O R O R S O M E O N E T H AT K N O W S W H AT T O D O I F I T ’ S G E T T I N G W O R S E E T C . CONTROL OVER THE RESCUE CHAIN AND WAIT TIME WARMTH PEOPLE AROUND TO FEEL SECURE P H O N E B AT T E R Y A N D C O V E R A G E
Brainstorming
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Workshop ideas.
Workshop with some students at UID.
Workshop
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C O N C E P T U A L I Z AT I O N The brainstorming sessions gave me a lot of ideas which I could collect in different groups and develop to concepts. I wanted to presented three unequal concepts with a bit different focus for my collaboration partners to see which direction is the most interesting to go. The concepts I presented were: To separate the concepts even more, I chose to
ALLROUND SPINE BOARD RESCUE SYSTEM M O U N AT I N R E S C U E K I T have different target groups in the concepts. I made the first concept for the rescue team, the second for everyone and the third for people at the mountains. My goal with the conceptualiszation was to form concept ideas and let them be loose. I didn’t want to constrain any thoughts or possibilities in the concepts. I wanted them to generate more creative thinking in that concept area. The concepts were presented and discussed with my collaboration partners.
Concepts
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A L L R O U N D S P I N E B OA R D Concept 1 For the injured person, who is extremely cold after being waiting for the rescue in hours, this back board is a very good help as it is warm. The soft layer on the back board makes it even more comfortable and is possible to be lying on through the whole rescue chain. The idea is to use this board in all transports to the hospital, where it also can be used in the X-ray. This will decrease the number of displacements
of the injured as well as the hard moment for the rescue team, and through that be a much safer alternative. The back board fits into the other stretchers used in the ambulance, helicopters and hospital and can also be used by vinsching. As the back board is foldable the mountain rescue team can wear it up to the injured in a simple way.
“I strongly believe in this product, someone should develop it� //Gustav Paringer, Aptum
Concept 1
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R E S C U E S YS T E M Concept 2 This concept connects all people at the mountain together in one system to simplify the rescue chain and save time. The injured alarms through the application which gives the exact coordinates of the position to the rescue team. Everyone in the area connected to the system gets a note of the alarm and can accept the mission. This concept takes advantage of everyone in this area, who most
often is other hikers, climbers and skiers willing to help, which saves a lot of time and money. When waiting for help the injured can have control and see when and from where help is coming. Everyone connected to this mission in the system can have contact and share information. Deployed rescue kit in the area can be used of independent persons to help the injured person durign the wait time for the rescue team to arrive.
“There are a number of features here that I’m missing today, this would be great. That you can take help of others in the area is a great feature that is not available today“ //Johan Af Ekenstam
Concept 2
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M O U N TA I N R E S C U E K I T Concept 3 The focus is to be able to help each other through the rescue kit that at least one in each group at the mountain should carry. By directly helping and carrying down the injured person in the group, the injured doesn’t need to wait for the rescue team for hours and become hypothermia. This saves also a lot of time and money for the rescue team, who can meet up
Concept 3
the group further down the mountain. The rescue kit could be a specialized back pack for rescue or a kit where you easily can build up a simple stretcher. Some of the brought equipment, for example the thermarest camping mattress or ski skins, could also be used to get the stretcher more comfortable for the injured.
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CHOSEN CONCEPT The chosen concept is a combination between concept 1 “Allround back board” and concept 2 “Rescue system”. I will create the system, an app, together with the back board from concept 1.
is a hard work that requires knowledge and practise. Some experienced people may have enough knowledge for this work, but many don’t and the risk of worsened injuries is too high for the injured or the helping persons. The decision has been discussed with my My idea about the rescue system was, except collaboration partners and supervisor. for the system, to have deployed rescue kits in the mountains. The kit could for example be a The chosen concept would solve the biggest stretcher that could help the bystanders to get problems with mountain rescue; the time, the injured person down the mountain, where hypothermia and transport of the injured as they could meet up with the rescue team if well as the complicated and uncertain rescue necessary. After evaluating the concept I chose process. to exclude this part in the chosen concept as it may worsen the problem. To transport an The technology required to implement this injured person at a stretcher down the mountain concept is already available in the market today.
Interview with Johan Af Ekenstam - the Mountain rescue
Chosen concept
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Concepts parts
The system takes advantage of everyone in the area to provide faster help and hypothermia. It enables correct localization, simple communication among all parts involved and an improved rescue chain.
The stretcher enables active heating and can be used through the whole rescue chain as it fits in the stretchers used in the ambulance, helicopter etc.
FUNCTION RANKING MINIMIZE HYPOTHERMIA M I N I M I Z E W A I T- T I M E I M P R OV E T R A N S P O RT STREAMLINE RESCUE CHAIN & PROCESS PROVIDE SAFETY & CONTROL FOR THE INJURED PERSON MINIMIZE NUMBER OF TRANSHIPMENTS O P T I M I Z E L O C A L I Z AT I O N W O R K O P T I M I Z E C O L L A B O R AT I O N E N A B L E G O O D A N D S I M P L E C O M M U N I C AT I O N SIMPLE USAGE
Funktion ranking
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Long wait time
Cold - hypothermia
Increased bleading
? How to solve this problem?
H OW TO M I N I M I Z E H Y P OT H E R M I A Regardless which season of the year, the injured person normally suffers from hypothermia when the rescue team arrives. This is due to the long waiting time, cold weather and bad equipment. For example, a lot of people do not bring extra clothes or a windsack for this type of situation.
problem.
So, how to solve this problem? By including active heat in the stretcher the injured person will get warm during the long transport to the hospital. To avoid become hypothermia while waiting for the rescue the My collaboration partner from the Mountain independet persons wanting to help can provide rescue, Johan Af Ekenstam, thinks hypothermia warm clothing, a hot drink or a windsack to the is the biggest problem when mountain rescuing. injured person. Even if the injured person would be reasonably warm when the rescue arrives, the person will See figure to the right, which highlights the be cooled down very fast because of the cold difference my concept will make for the injured stretcher. If it’s -10 degrees outside, the stretcher person. The system solution will improve the will also turn to -10°C. This is not only a huge waiting time by calling the attention and support problem for mountain rescue as the ambulance of other independent persons. The heated and other rescue services are having the same stretcher will improve the transport phase.
Hypothermia
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The injured persons hypothermia during rescue:
Today
High
Body temperature
Low Time
Wait-time
Rescue transport
Accident happens Independent persons contributes with warm clothes A heated stretcher for transportation
My vision
High
Body temperature
Low Time
Hypothermia at the mountain today
Wait-time
Rescue transport
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Picture 9.
F O R M D E V E LO P M E N T
FORM EXPRESSION Before I started the sketch phase I collected some pictures for reference and inspiration to my sketches. I created three different boards with these pictures; a Mood board, Form board and CMF board. Each board has some words describing the expression of the board.
Form expression
MOOD BOARD FORM BOARD CMF BOARD
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M O O D B OA R D Safety, security, awareness and free with control
Mood board
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F O R M B OA R D Adaptable, covered, reliable and understandable
Form board
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C M F B OA R D Visible, calm color, safety, detail
CMF board
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F U N C T I O N R A N K I N G S T R E TC H E R
Function ranking stretcher
WARMTH
N
POSSIBLE TO REDUCE THE SIZE
N
P O S S I B L E T O L A Y O N AT L O N G T I M E
N
P O S S I B L E I N A L L D I F F E R E NT R E S C U E T R A N S P O RTS
N
F I X AT I O N O F S P I N E A N D N E C K
N
W O R K S I N X- R AY
D
M A N Y AT T A C H M E N T P O I N T S
D
P O S S I B L E I N C O N F I N E D S PA C E S
D
G O O D PA C K A G I N G O P P O R T U N I T I E S
D
PEELED FORM
D
SIMPLE TO CLEAN
D
ACCEPTED FOR HELI-WINCHING
D
SCOOP-FUNCTION
D
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H E AT I N G PA R T I started the development process by ranking the functions for the stretcher. As it’s hard to solve all problems with todays stretchers the necessary functions will be prioritized and if it’s possible I will try to include the desirable functions as well.
The biggest problem to solve is the hypthermia for an injured person, why I want to add active heating in the stretcher. This can be done by using a smart textile with conducivity or by placing heating coils inside the stretcher. I explored these opportunities to come up with a functional and smart solution.
The most important part of the body to get heated
Heating
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F U N C T I O N I D E AT I O N To make the sketching phase easier I started to identify the proportions and measurements of a normal stretcher and the size of a human body. This helped me to see the overall size of the stretcher and how it could be constructed to fit the human body and at the same time all functions needed. As my neccessary function - possible to reduce the size of the stretcher, is
Top view
1.
important for the form I had to look into that in an early stage. I draw two operating concepts for this function, where the central part of the stretcher would consist active heating. Together with my collaboration partners we decided to continue with alternative 1 as that concept gives the possibility to adjust the lower part of the stretcher after the injured persons lengh.
2.
950 mm
850 mm 1950 mm
Side view
Air holes
Ideation
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F O R M I D E AT I O N I started to sketch on the functions to see how the process a lot more effective. How I chose the stretcher could look like when folded etc. For to solve the neccessary functions in the form the top view sketches I had an underlay with became the base of the design. the right proportions to sketch on which made Started with top view sketches to find the right proportions
I sketched many handles to see which one could work best for the user
Keysketch
Sketch process
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Picture 10.
REFINEMENT
CAD I continued by developing the form of the meetings and the construction in this phase. I stretcher in CAD, Rhinoceros. It helped me to also explored different shapes and alternatives get a good overview of the form and the details on grips, attachments point and buttons. in 3D. I had to work a lot with the material
Rhinoceros
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Top view maximum length
Side view
Top view minimal lenth for a patient
1270 mm
1920 mm
Front view
400 mm
50 mm
MEASUREMENT I made the lower part on the stretcher a bit angled in side view, which enables simple usage in confined spaces. For example if the injured is wringing between stone blocks or in a crashed car, the stretcher with the legs part withdrawn, easily can come down behind the back of the
Measurement
injured and after a fixation of the injured drag out the injured person. The stretcher has a slightly peeled form (seen in the front view), which makes it easier for the rescue team to come around under the stretcher and get a good grip. As well as it makes the injured more stable.
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C O LO R I wanted to use a contrast color that’s visible and reminds of rescue together with a darker base color.
Chosen base color palette
Color
Contrast color alternatives
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C H O S E N C O LO R I explored two of the orange and yellow colors combined with the base color palette and how the base colors could be used to give the right impression of the stretcher. I want the colors to
express rescue, safety, balance, calmness and reliability. I chose the orange color combined with a medium gray on the top and a darker grey on the bottom of the form.
An accent color (orange or yellow) indicates function and grips. It also makes the product visible from a distance.
A light grey line separates the top part with the bottom part of the product.
The light gray on top of the form gives the feeling of a lighter product. The dark base separates the bottom part with the top part and gives a stable impression.
Chosen color
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Picture 11.
R E S U LT
Rescue link
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Rescue link is a concept consisting both a stretcher and an application that combined reduces the risk for hypothermia of the person in need and simplifies the rescue chain. Rescue link enables simple communication among everyone connected to the system at the mountain and the rescue team, and facilitates the transport of the injured person.
Rescue link
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I N T E R FAC E S T R U C T U R E The application of Rescue link is for everyone spending time at the mountains. The app enables fast help and simple communication with the rescue team for the member, who also needs to be willing to help others when possible. Rescue link is based on the GPS technology, the Mountain map, ground water map, elevation and inclination map, sattelite photo and GPS pins. The app calculates the possible routes to the target by using these maps.
THE INJURED PERSON Alarms through app Control - who are coming and when Adds information Independent persons giving fast help
OFFERING FAST HELP FEELING SECURE BY HAVING CONTROL AND SIMPLE CONTACT
INDEPENDENT PERSONS Notice - accident in close area Suggested route Estimated time Offering help - support & warmth
STREAMLINE THE RESCUE WORK
RESCUE SERVICE Planning - suggested routes Estimated time Creating the rescue chain together Info update from the injured person Simple locationing
Interface
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The injured persons friends are alarming about the accident through Rescue link.
An independent person in the close area gets the alarm.
Environment pictures
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Map settings
Independent persons
Your location
Rescue team
Add route (or info)
Change of transportation
Place a GPS-pin for a warning
Flat area near the accident
sos alarm
emergency stable
1 new
alarm A person in need of help in your area! Are you available?
control Your current location: Latitude 63.8207432
Longitud 20.2766458
Error margin: 10.00 meters Coordinate system: WGS84
1. When sending an alarm the person has to chose an level of how serious the accident is. When using the control level a person for example might only have lost the track and the stable level could be a sprained angle etc.
Interface
Add info about...
Distance: 1 km
your injury surroundings in need of...
routes info
2. The Mountain rescue team and independent persons in the close area gets the alarm. The color of the alarm square is a fast indication about how urgent the accident is. Before accepting the mission or not the person can check possible routes, estimated time and information about the accident if updated.
3. The injured person or the friends to the injured can update information at Rescue link about the injury, the surroundings and what the person is in need of. The surroundings can be filmed. This is an effective way of sharing information about the weather etc, which is important information for the rescue team.
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45 min
15 min
Plan A:4h
Plan C:5h
Plan B: 3h40min
30 min
15 min
4. The mountain rescue gets some alternative routes and can also add a route. Secure routes at a track are marked in green and unsecure routes that only are based on the different maps are marked in red. The red routes are at own risk and safety is a priority.
Interface
5. The mountain rescue are on their way at their chosen route. The map shows where the others in this mission are and what route they are taking. Based on the maps, the app marks out the nearest flat area from the injured person. This area could be the landing area for the helicopter if the pilot consider it’s safe enough.
6. During the wait-time the injured person can have control. By zooming out in the maps it’s possible to see the whole rescue chain being built. It’s also possible to see the estimated time and to contact everyone in the mission if needed.
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SCENARIO This is a scenario that shows how Rescue link link app in these cases could give all the help could be used in an serious accident at the needed. Some independent persons finded mountains. through the app could support the injured person down the mountain so the mountain As 95% of all accidents in the mountains are rescue doesn’t have to come. Which would save minor injuries, ex. a sprained foot, the Rescue both time and money.
1 new alarm Add info about...
A person in need of help in your area! Are you available?
your injury Distance: 170 km
surroundings
routes
in need of...
info
Everyone connected to Rescue link in the close area and the Mountain rescue gets the alarm
The friends to the injured are updating information at the app
The updated information is shared with everyone connected to the rescue mission
45 min
15 min
30 min
Everyone connected to the misson can build the rescue chain together and have simple communication
Scenario
15 min
The Mountain rescue team are heading towards the accident
The injured person feels secure as he can have control over what’s going to happen and where the help is
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sos alarm
emergency stable control Your current location: Latitude 63.8207432
Longitud 20.2766458
Error margin: 10.00 meters Coordinate system: WGS84
An accident happens at the mountain
The exact position and coordinates are included in the alarm
Two climbers that are connected to Rescue link gets the alarm
Plan A:4h
Plan C:5h
The Mountain rescue team gets the alarm
The mountain rescue team arrives and places the injured on the rescue link stretcher
Scenario
Plan B: 3h40min
The Mountain rescue need to do a lot of planning
Rescue link is warming up the injured person through the long rescue chain
The climbers contributes with warm clothes
The injured person can be lying on the stretcher the whole way to the hospital
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FUNCTIONS The size of the Rescue link stretcher enables usage into other rescue litters (for example the ambulance and helicopter litter or into the wheel strecther). This makes Rescue link usable during the whole rescue chain. The legs part can be adjusted after the injured persons lenght so it doesn’t take up unnecessary space. The Rescue link stretcher has a lot of grips and attachment points for simple fixation of the injured person. Ajustable footrest
Rescue link can be used into this common CMC rescue litter, which is used as a wheel stretcher and for vinsching
Functions
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Attachment points for fixation of the injured
Wholes for grip or fixation
By detaching the hooks on both sides of the strecther the legs part can be adjusted after the injured persons lentgh. It locks by pressing them back
Alternatives on how to carry:
Rubber finish for better grip
6 persons
Function details
6 persons - two hands on both short sides
4 persons - two hands on both short sides
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C O LO R , M AT E R I A L & F I N I S H The product of Rescue link is constructed can be molded in a form as well as the foot part from quality with a base of carbonfibrepolycell and the pipes. to be stable, proof and give the user a better experience. Parts of the stretcher can be recycled as the materials can be separated through cutting up The stretcher could be manufactured by the plastic layer. Above all rescue link lasts for producing the different layers and then a long time. connecting them. The base in carbonfibrepolycell
Central part
Head part
Smart textile - a fabric with woven metal wires that heat up the surface of the fabric through electricity. with this technique you can also measure heart and respiratory rate A pressure relieving layer consisting a thick padding with elastic properties of polyurethane foam A supportive base in carbonfibrepolycell with a low friction surface underneath for easy transport All layers are packed inside a thin PVC plastic layer which makes the product easy to wash and impervious to oil, water, grease etc.
CMF
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The orange color is a high contrast to the other colors and is therefor used on details and and surfaces that need to be exposed. The color has reflex proporties which makes it visible in darkness as well. The gradation of the grey color is between dark and light to not feel heavy with a too dark gradation and to not look dirty with a too light gradation.
This dark color is used on the pipes and handles surrounding the central form of the stretcher. I wanted these parts to give a feeling of framing in the central part. The color is also used on the surfaces touching the ground to indicate the bottom of the stretcher.
Colors
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D E TA I L S The Rescue link stretcher enables simple transportation as it easily can be packed together in its case. This is done by detaching the separate head part at the stretcher and placing it on top of the central part. The head part is detached by pressing the button as the same time as pulling in the right direction and puts together again through clicking the head part into the central part of the stretcher. The head part also works as a battery for the heating. The battery inside the head part is charged through the USB input while the product not is in use.
Active heating button.
Details
The case can also be used as a leg stabilization for long people or people with an injured leg by draging the case down to the legs part and tightening the strap. The packed mode enables simple and minimized packaging of one or many Rescue link stretchers. The active heating in the stretcher is controlled by the heating button on the head part. The heating has three levels indicated by a light and starts at level one by pressing the button. After four presses at the button the active heating is turned off.
Button for detaching the head part.
Separate head part works as a battery.
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Unpacked
Packed together
900 mm
Packing possibilities
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Rescue link
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Rescue link
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Rescue link
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S U M M A RY Rescue link solves all the huge problems I found during my research. It enables an effective localization as the position coordinates of the injured person are sent with the alarm. Simple transportation of the stretcher as it is possible to minimize the size of it and a more effective rescue chain as the stretcher fits into other rescue stretchers. The stretcher can be used through the whole rescue chain which also is improved and is created together among everyone included in the mission. Rescue link also enables security for the injured person
who has good communication with the rescue team, faster help and control over the situation. The wait time is shorter which together with the active heating in the stretcher minimizes the risk for hypothermia for the injured. The application and the stretcher are together solving the biggest problem - hypothermia, but are independent of each other. If I had time to further develop the concept I would look into the connection between the app and stretcher. By connecting the strecther to the app the user can:
H A V E C O N T R O L O V E R T H E H E AT I N G T E M P E R AT U R E C H E C K T H E H E A R T A N D R E S P I R AT O R Y R AT E C H E C K T H E B AT T E R Y L E V E L S E E F O R H O W LO N G T H E I N J U R E D P E R S O N H A S B E E N L AY I N G ON THE STRETCHER CONNECT A PROFILE FROM THE APP TO THE STRETCHER ( C O U L D B E U S E D I N A M A S S C A S U A LT Y I N C I D E N T T O S E PA R AT E A N D K E E P I N F O A B O U T T H E I N J U R E D )
Summary
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MODEL MAKING The final model is built in a scale of 1:3. The together with three pipes. I have varnished the parts were built in CAD and sent for 3D printing, model and masked parts out. The orange color where they were printed in three big parts; the and details were made by hand. central part, the head part and the footrest part,
Model making
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Model making
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S O N YA S WA N Industrial Designer sonyaswan92@gmail.com
+46 (0) 708155256 www.sonyaswan.se
EXHIBITION The project with the final model and posters were presented during the UID Design talks exhibition, as well as a short presenation of the project for the audience.
Exhibition
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Exhibition
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C I TAT I O N ARTICLES: http://www.dt.se/allmant/dalarna/manga-olyckor-i-fjallen-pa-sommaren https://www.svd.se/brada-tider-for-fjallraddning http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=1646&artikel=5768128 http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=109&artikel=6474107 http://www.etc.se/klimat/fjallvandring-en-stigande-trend ABOUT MOUNTAIN RESCUE: www.huskypodcast.com - Replacing luck https://www.msb.se/Upload/Produkter_tjanster/Rakel/Nyheter_och_kalender/ Lansstyrelseforum/150415/9%20Fjällräddning%202015%20-%20%20Peter%20Borg.pdf http://www.lansstyrelsen.se/Jamtland/Sv/manniska-och-samhalle/krisberedskap/Pages/ sambruk-jamtland.aspx FUNCTIONS: http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:753560/FULLTEXT01.pdf http://www.socialstyrelsen.se/Lists/Artikelkatalog/Attachments/17731/2009-126-172.pdf http://www.inuheat.com/wearable-heating http://smarttextiles.se http://www.dn.se/kultur-noje/konst-form/smarta-svenska-tyger-haller-varldsklass/ http://esoncomfort.se/download/traumatransfer-den-ledande-traumamadrassen/?wpdmdl=85 https://lifesavingsystems.com http://www.cmcrescue.com http://www.ferno.co.uk BORROWED PICTURES: 1. http://blog.meetup.com/dublin-free-hiking-meetup/
Citation
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2. https://www.flickr.com 3. https://www.pinterest.se/pin/284923113900521812/ 4. http://rescategoer.blogspot.se/2012/06/tecnica-uso-general-de-una-camilla-de.html 5. https://www.wired.com/2015/07/ian-maclellan-ice-climbers/#slide-6 6. https://gearjunkie.com/mountain-academy-online-avalanche-course 7. (Front page and backside as well) https://www.flickr.com 8. https://www.visitnorway.fr/destinations-norvege/region-ouest/randonnee/ 9. http://www.greenland.com/en/articles/checklist-for-hiking-in-greenland/ 10. http://mochilabrasil.uol.com.br/blog/5-espetaculares-trilhas-na-europa 11. http://madisonmountaineering.com/gallery/ All other pictures are taken by me.
C O N TAC T Gustav Paringer - Aptum Johan af Ekenstam - Mountain rescue Peter Borg - Mountain rescue coordinator Johan Gustavsson - Struktur design Jonas Alex - Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine, Umeå Peter Johansson - ambulance, Umeå Anders Erlandsson - Eson comfort Lena Berglin and Linda Worbin - Smart textiles, The Swedish school of textiles Tord Berggren - tutor uid Jonas Sandström - tutor uid Eva-Lena Bäckström - examinator Per Sihlén - examinator
Contact
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S O N YA S WA N BFA INDUSTRI AL DESIGN C O N T A C T: Sonya Swan sonyaswan92@gmail.com +46 (0) 708155256 w w w. s o n y a s w a n . s e