HealthTrace Project - "Wounded"

This was a systems project looking at new uses for “Speckled Technology”. “Wounded” applies this technology into military medicine within battlefield scenario. It deals specifically with injuries sustained from Improvised Explosive Devices [I.E.D’s] as these are the most common injury for soldiers. The new objects in the system with equipment which is currently given to all soldiers as standard, apart from the Medic’s wristband which is designed to be discreet until in use.

There is a time period called “platinum 99 minutes” during which time an injury must be treated and helicoptered to a medical station. This relies on various stages of communication which is:

injury - medic - M.E.R.T - hospital

At each stage the injury has to be assessed and treated and this wastes valuable time and seems staggered and inefficient.

With the introduction of Specks into this system, the time and efficiency of the process can run much more simply and smoothly with one communication to medics, hospital and helicopter M.E.R.T.

Firstly we used post it notes on the wall each representing one thing in the scenario, and moved them about as the process took place, we then discussed opportunities and did a quick "50 sketches in 20 minutes" on a big roll of paper on the wall.

We Placed these objects in the system -

[1]The T-shirts are handed out as part of the uniform every soldier already receives, only in the new system Speck Technology is woven into the material. The graphic on the t shit is purely a visual reference to the vitals it will monitor which are heart rate, breathing, dehydration and temperature which are the main causes of medical attention within military field medicine. These are the vitals which are sent on to the medic, hospital and helicopter M.E.R.T.

[2] This is the alert Bandage which contains Specks which become active when in contact with the body. These are handed out as part of the medical kit which is given to all soldiers, as all soldiers have first aid training and can apply the bandage. This sends the alerts to medics wristband, M.E.R.T and the hospital simultaneously.

[3]This is the wristband which is worn by the medic. it has a small screen on it with the location of the team members. When the Alert Bandage is applied it sends an alert to the wristband and it vibrates, alerting the medic to an injury. It is important it vibrates as hearing may be difficult. The vitals of the injured soldier are shown on screen as well as their location so the medic can get there and treat immediately.

In the new system, there is one immediate communication to hospital, M.E.R.T and field medic. This is sent by the Specks in the bandage which become active when in contact with the body. This means as the injury is taken to the pick up point, the helicopter is already on it’s way, informed of the injury and receive a live feed of their vitals. The medic is alerted to the injury through the wristband and has an immediate location of where the injured soldier is. The hospital are also sent a live feed of the injured soldiers vitals so they can prepare beforehand for the injury and can treat immediately upon arrival.

This is a small group of us carrying out the system, small scale but in real time. This video only shows the initial part of the system where the injury is found and treated. It is intended to show the use of the new objects in the system. We wore t shirts with graphic references to the Speck monitors they carry.