Abstract
Monitoring patient and machine status in the operating room will be supported by small but powerful computers in the future. The added computer power will be used for diagnosis and decision aiding, as well as record keeping of events not automatically measurable. We looked at the problems and possible solutions in the case where information exchange between system and physician occurs via monitor and menu selection techniques, with the help of touch input interactions. Studies of the anesthetist's activities during heart surgery (one of the most complex operations) show that system adaptation to the user is extremely important to achieve system acceptance. Three design principles must therefore be observed: setting up situation dependent system configurations including user preferences and practice, building transparent systems by realizing the parallel user-interface, and putting as much consistency as possible into the system's behavior.
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