Cueing Attention to a Matrix of Values on a Head-Worn Display: Four Studies with a Multiple Patient Monitoring Task

Abstract

Head-worn displays (HWDs) can help clinicians monitor multiple patients by displaying multiple patients’ vital signs. We conducted four experiments exploring design features that affect how a HWD can quickly and reliably cue attention to patient deterioration. In a series of lab-based experiments, we found that a HWD could quickly and reliably cue participants’ attention with high-contrast visual highlights with two distinct levels, or with a short white flash. However, visual alerts on a HWD did not cue attention as quickly as similar alerts on a conventional screen or auditory alerts. We conclude that HWDs can quickly notify clinicians of patient deterioration when paired with a strong visual cue, but there are perceptual challenges unique to HWDs.