Head-worn displays for emergency medical services staf properties of prehospital work, use cases, and design considerations

Abstract

Head-worn displays (HWDs) ofer their users high mobility, hands-free operation, and see-what-I-see features. In the prehospital environment, emergency medical services (EMS) staf could beneft from the unique characteristics of HWDs. We conducted a feld study to analyze work practices of EMS staf and the potential of HWDs to support their activities. Based on our observations and the comments of EMS staf, we propose three use cases for HWDs in the prehospital environment. They are (1) enhanced communication between diferent care providers, (2) hands-free access to clinical monitoring and imaging, (3) and improved realism of training scenarios. We conclude with a set of design considerations and suggest that for the successful implementation of HWDs in EMS environments, researchers, designers, and clinical stakeholders should consider the harsh outdoor environment in which HWDs will be used, the extensive workload of staf, the complex collaboration performed, privacy requirements, and the high variability of work.