Designing an Automatic CPR Machine

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Isos

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Hello everyone,

I am a member of a student team of engineers designing an automatic, portable CPR machine. This device could be positioned in public areas (similar to AEDs) and could be attached to patients, freeing medical personell to simultaneously move patients or tend other injuries.

We really need to prioritize design characteristics (portability, adjustability, etc.), but without field medical experience, we're a bit in the dark!

Would you be able to give us a hand by ranking the following CPR machine characteristics (in terms of importance) on a scale of 1-10?

Thank you so much! If you have any other thoughts, we'd love to hear those as well!

Form/Enclosure:
Size -
Weight -
Appearance -
Few components -
Comfort (for patient and operator) -
Adjustability to different body types -
Operation:
How fast it can by moved/applied -
Simplicity of use -
Ability to move patient while in use -
Ability to monitor patient condition -
Ability to automatically adjust to patient status -
User Interface:
Communication of instructions -
Ability to manually adjust rate/force of chest compression, etc. -
Ability to interface with ambulances, other medical equipment -
Other:
Weather resistance -
Theft deterrence -
Low maintenance required -
Battery life -
 
I think it would be easier and pay off better to design the next artificial heart valve or vascular grafting material.

I do not see a need for this device.
 
Veneficus said:
I think it would be easier and pay off better to design the next artificial heart valve or vascular grafting material.

I do not see a need for this device.
Click to expand...

I can definitely see the logic to this. Unfortunately, our design professor is quite set on the topic. :blink:
 
Isos said:
I can definitely see the logic to this. Unfortunately, our design professor is quite set on the topic. :blink:
Click to expand...

That is unfortunately how people wind up on unemployment with life ending student loan defaults and a degree.
 
Isos said:
Hello everyone,

I am a member of a student team of engineers designing an automatic, portable CPR machine. This device could be positioned in public areas (similar to AEDs) and could be attached to patients, freeing medical personell to simultaneously move patients or tend other injuries.
Click to expand...

You're going to want to start with a more clearly-defined purpose in mind. Mechanical compression devices exist (the Zoll AutoPulse, Physio's LUCAS, etc.), generally carried by EMS or in hospitals; they're helpful for extended arrests and for continuing compressions during transport.

If you're going to stock something alongside AEDs as a layperson tool, what role will it play? I'm not sure whether "freeing medical personnel" to do anything is germane; if they need it, they probably have their own. There are no "other injuries" to tend in a cardiac arrest patient, and they should generally not be moved unless the area is unsafe or there's a plausible reason to think the patient has a correctable cause of arrest which could be resolved at the hospital.

Sudden cardiac arrest care, especially as provided by layperson bystanders, is all about recognizing the problem, starting good compressions, and defibrillating as soon as possible. Since getting people to do anything at all is usually the main challenge (that's why we keep running those ads saying "someone collapsed? push hard and fast, call 911!"), adding another crazy device probably doesn't serve this; either it won't get used or the perceived complexity will preclude people from acting at all.

If there's a role for it, it may be to serve the "good" part of "good compressions" -- i.e. if you can get people to use it, it'll provide flawless continuing compressions, whereas most rescuers (particularly laypeople) have trouble with this. But you'll still need to create a design which is so slam-dunk easy to use that Joe Random can do it. I suppose you could have staff or security trained to use your device, but that still makes for a pretty limited application.

Despite all that, the existing mechanical compression devices are all pretty inelegant and lacking a real "iPhone-esque" approach to UI, and if you're willing to tackle it, there's a void to be filled. I don't think I've ever seen them applied in a real code without fumbling and delays, and there are perpetual complaints about their reliability and general poor design. So far, there's no evidence that such devices provide improved survival over perfect-quality manual compressions, but perfect-quality manual compressions aren't always possible, so if you could come up with a device that resembled the best AEDs in terms of ease-of-use and reliability, it would come much closer to playing a valuable role in resuscitation.

You want something that can be applied in, essentially, one to two steps. If possible you should be able to use it over most clothing and on virtually any body type. Delays in compressions are a very bad thing, so it should only require a couple seconds between when I stop pushing on the chest and the machine can take over. If there are more advanced controls available (for use by EMS when they arrive, for instance) they should be hidden away; basic functionality should be "attach and go," easily demonstrated with a big pictogram.

You should really get someone with a medical background on your team. And read the AHA CPR guidelines cover to cover.

Happy to discuss this further if you want to drop me a line.

Form/Enclosure:
Size - readily able to be carried and maneuvered around the patient, otherwise unimportant
Weight - ditto
Appearance - unintimidating
Few components - unintimidating and reliable, otherwise unimportant
Comfort (for patient and operator) - patient is dead, otherwise see above
Adjustability to different body types - essential, and should be automatic

Operation:
How fast it can by moved/applied - ESSENTIAL
Simplicity of use - ESSENTIAL
Ability to move patient while in use - only important if you want it to double as a "professional" EMS device
Ability to monitor patient condition - unimportant for a layperson tool
Ability to automatically adjust to patient status - ditto

User Interface:
Communication of instructions - voice prompts a la AEDs could work, but again, I'd prefer something so simple it just needs a basic diagram -- apply like this, and off it goes
Ability to manually adjust rate/force of chest compression, etc. - absolutely undesirable
Ability to interface with ambulances, other medical equipment - only for a professional version
Other:
Weather resistance - water resistant is probably the best you can hope for
Theft deterrence - forget it; put it in an AED-style alarm cabinet
Low maintenance required - yes, absolutely -- follow the AED concept
Battery life - ditto
Click to expand...
 
Isos said:
We really need to prioritize design characteristics (portability, adjustability, etc.), but without field medical experience, we're a bit in the dark!
Click to expand...

I'll add my $0.02. The most important aspect of such a device to a lay person is ease of use. If some bystander pulls out a device that is not simple to apply then I would imagine that it would not get used. There can be no question to how it works, it must have large clear pictures of how it's put on and be literally idiot proof.

The second most important aspect would be cost and portability. It needs to be in a price range that businesses and cities can purchase the device at a reasonable cost. Portability is also going to be an issue, these devices are usually heavy and if it's gas powered you will need to have an air tank along with it. If it's too heavy then elderly people might not be able to use it.

One more thing, you have to take into account that not all people are the same size or shape, if you have a compression device it would have to fit everyone. Oh and it would be super neat if it could shock while giving compressions.
 
O I our random weekly engineering student has showed up.



These machines already exist for medical team use.

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ju9e4yda.jpg


Problem solved.

Minimal moving parts, cheap to manufacture. Easy to set up and use.

Thanks professor. I'll take an A.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
n7lxi said:
ju9e4yda.jpg


Problem solved.

Minimal moving parts, cheap to manufacture. Easy to set up and use.

Thanks professor. I'll take an A.
Click to expand...

Forget an A, you should get a whole degree for that.
 
Just because no one else has said it yet.

"aren't they called firefighters?"

I kid I kid I love my FF peeps. You've saved me from many back injuries :)
 
The cardiopump has been used successfully for a long time in Europe and elsewhere (as i understand, the FDA refuses to approve it.)

To the OP, you should consider the mechanics of "good CPR", and how it is best administered by humans and existing devices. You should go back to the ILCOR/ECC/AHA guidelines for 2010 and review what "hard and fast" and "minimize hands off time" means...

Good luck!!
 
The level of trainging required to set up and deploy such a device would be lost on the general public. If you can up with a cost effective option that could be carried by police, fire, trained security personel, etc you could have an effect in areas that have extended transport times on delays in getting an ambulance on scene. IE ski resorts.
 
If you can redirect the assignment at all, how about a simple way to ensure high-quality manual compressions? Like the Zoll Z-pad "puck", but as a stand-alone device.

I'd love to see one of those alongside every public-access AED, and I'd use one at work, too.
 
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