Design Considerations for Life-Sustaining Medical Devices Used at Home

Abstract

New technologies follow a predictable pattern of democratization over time. Specifically, a product that begins as merely useful over time often evolves into one that is usable, providing easy access to all functionality. If the technology survives the usability transition, it must become desirable. In this stage, the product evokes positive emotions from its users. This has been the case for the automotive industry as it moved from black colored cars driven by professional drivers and provided with its own toolbox to computers which initially required mathematicians and physicists to operate but which can now be operated by a four-year-old. This transition is now occurring before our eyes in healthcare, as medical diagnostic and treatment devices are taken out of the hands of specialized healthcare providers and placed into the hands, and homes, of patients. These useful devices now need to become usable and desirable. A successful transition will require the contributions of many disciplines, from environmental psychology, to user experience, from biomedical engineering to furniture design. It is exactly the kind of situation in which user experience thrives. This panel discusses the human capabilities, limitations, emotions and motivations which will determine whether this transition is a success. SynCardia’s Total Artificial Heart (TAH) Freedom Driver is an example of a life-sustaining medical device that is used by patients and caregivers at-home. To design the next generation Freedom Driver, SynCardia has implemented a user centered design approach. A research team performed contextual interviews and participatory design sessions with current patients, former patients, caregivers, and experienced clinicians. The research uncovered the following design considerations to be addressed in the design of the new Freedom Driver.