StairSafe Stretcher
pHASE 1: RESEARCH
———————————— HYPOTHESIS
When Mass Casualty occurs, Bystanders are first to intervene, yet lack the resources to respond.
During an emergency evacuation, bystanders on the scene of the incident need access to assistance devices, such as stair chairs, to help those with mobility impairments to navigate stairwells. These devices are bulky and expensive, and often reserved for EMS/EMT.
I hypothesize that businesses and organizations will be more inclined to introduce a lower cost, lightweight alternative to stair chairs, which will supplement evacuation efforts of bystanders on scene before first response teams arrive.
ROLE
Senior Thesis Project
Project Lead
TEAM
Katie Bush
(Solo)
DURATION
December, 2023
4 months
Over a period of 14 weeks beginning in August 2023, the project was divided into two phases: Research and Design.
I collaborated with industry professionals from Battelle, who sponsored the development of the StairSafe Stretcher. The project adhered to the project brief established by Battelle.
———————————— WORKING WITH BATTELLE
Established by Gordon Battelle in 1929, this private nonprofit organization is dedicated to converting scientific discoveries and technological advancements into societal advantages. As an international science and technology enterprise, it delves into emerging scientific domains, advances technology, and oversees laboratories on behalf of clients.
The roots of the organization's vision and mission can be traced back to the legacy of Gordon Battelle, a visionary steel industrialist. His 1923 Last Will & Testament articulates the core principles:
“Translate scientific discovery and technology advances into societal benefits. . . for the purpose of education in connection with and the encouragement of creative and research work in the making of discoveries and inventions . . . to do the greatest good for humanity . . ."
———————————— THE BRIEF
Thinking of a mass casualty incident (MCI) or a rescue event, how could any capable person safely and adequately transport an injured person to receive care?
The realities of on-field medical care are, by nature, extremely complex to capture. Given the changing context of interventions, the type of injury encountered, the distance to the hospital, the means of transportation, or lack thereof, the expertise and knowledge of "medics" are variegated.
Designers here have an interesting role to play in seizing new opportunities to support and improve experiences and practices. More specifically, the issue of patient transportation as it is turned toward the injured by providing healthcare or supporting the medics themselves, many problems are yet to be solved. New products and services can be envisioned to transform and innovate on-field practice today.
———————————— THE BRIEF: EXPLORATION
The specifications of the brief were dissected and explored, along with various types of mass casualty incidents and their responses.
Civilian reactions to MCIs were identified as an area of interest and investigated further.
———————————— THE BRIEF: BACKGROUND RESEARCH
Background research took the form of a “Research Dossier,” divided into four thematic sections: Focus, Arts, Business, and Science & Technology.
As background research was performed, different articles, essays, journals, or other sources were collected in each thematic section, in order to broaden the scope of the problem space.
———————————— PRIMARY RESEARCH PLAN
A primary research plan was used for primary research efforts which articulates intentions for conducting primary research, clarifying goals, methods, benchmark, sampling strategies.
As further research was performed, this plan and its research questions changed and adapted.
What is it you want to know?
How much of the general public is currently considered “trained”
Do untrained individuals feel capable of performing “rescue” in the event of a mass casualty?
Are individuals aware of the impending threat of war between Russia and China? Do they feel prepared?
How can we prepare the general public to be responsibly prepared for the case of a mass casualty in relation to war?
What does war look like today? What kind of weapons are involved, vehicles, "soldiers", etc: How does it differ from the past?
Is there an opportunity for AI integration?
What does training look like for those enlisted in military?
What do current methods of transportation look like for the US military today?
What information is needed?
Facts and common knowledge about first response
Testimonials- Veterans, First Responders, Medic, Civilians
(Quantitative) Statistical data- characteristics of the US population
Demographic information- Examine tendencies and behaviors
Which methodologies will be used?
Interviews: Collect opinions, testimonials, First-hand accounts of others' experiences
Survey: Gather quantitative data and observe tendencies within specific demographics
Secondary Research (Articles, journals, books, case studies, surveys, etc.): Gather general information about the topic, explore ideas adjacent to the topic, analyze existing surveys surrounding the topic
———————————— SURVEY DESIGN
An online survey was administered in order to understand general emergency preparedness among the public.
The survey was published via Google Forms to social media platforms including Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook.
The resulting sample consisted of 9 males, 23 females, and 2 non-binary individuals, 18 years of age or older, living in the continental United States.
Secondary research was performed and existing studies were drawn upon to gather additional statistical data regarding emergency preparedness surrounding MCI scenarios.
———————————— INTERVIEWS WITH INDUSTRY EXPERTS
Interviews were conducted with six (6) industry experts including:
CPD Policeman
Buckeye Block Watch
CRASE Emergency Response Trainer
FEMA Urban Search and Rescue
Medical Team Manager, Ohio Task Force 1
Clinical-Professor of Emergency Medicine
———————————— PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS
DDx Framework
Drawing off of the Differential Diagnosis method (DDx) used in clinical medicine to identify the source of symptoms, the process can be leveraged within design to “provide a framework to support designers in mingling their intuitions with factual evidences and structure the task of problem identification” (Proulx).
The five step model shown below facilitates a systematic approach to diagnosing a problematic by using the observations, or “symptoms,” gathered from research to generate conjectures, or “hypotheses.”
The design conjectures produced in this phase strictly served as a research instrument for discerning the advantages and disadvantages of certain facets within each approach. They are not intended to be potential solutions or concepts by any means, as they are informed by limited preliminary research.
Analysis of these conjectures spurred additional idea generation and offered numerous insights that would further inform the diagnosis of the design problematic. Though the original problem space surrounded the MCI response of military personnel, insights from these conjectures were able to be applied to the final problem space.
1) List Symptoms:
Assessing condition of injured takes time
Injury condition deteriorates with time
Locating injured can be difficult in certain circumstances
2) Generate Hypothesis (Conjecture)
3) Make Prognosis:
AI can assist in the gathering, collection, and distribution of important data
Wearables ensure device is immediately accessible
Information given to first responders before their arrival can decrease time spent assessing conditions after they arrive
When panicked, individuals may struggle with inputting any information on a small screen
Electronics can fail
REFINING THE PROBLEMATIC
Given that when Mass Casualty Incidents (MCI) occur, many untrained individuals (aka. Primary Responders) lack the resources that they need to respond…
How can we provide the necessary resources to these individuals in order to supplement their primary response and transport injured individuals to safety?
Conducting comprehensive background research, involving both primary and secondary sources, resulted in a more nuanced comprehension of the underlying issue.
This, in turn, prompted the development of preliminary design conjectures within four identified areas of opportunity, informed by insights derived from the background research.
Areas of Opportunity:
Training on how to use emergency resources
Delivery of resources to scene of incident
Wayfinding to resources
Improvisation surrounding the use of resources
aREAS OF OPPORTUNITY
Training on how to use emergency resources:
Preparation for Mass Casualty Incidents (MCI) often requires training, which many lack. The Tourniquet Practice Station, inspired by airport CPR practice setups, offers quick, simplified training within minutes, bringing life-saving skills directly to individuals without the need for formal training locations.
Pros:
Less formalized training
On-site training
Quick training
No trainers necessary
Simplified model (not gruesome)
Cons:
Does not capture the “stress factor”
No requirement for use
Does not fully ensure training will happen
Delivery of resources to the scene of the incident:
In mass casualty incidents (MCI), responders often face delays and safety risks while fetching necessary equipment for the injured. A delivery system removes the need for retrieval, ensuring essential devices are promptly brought to the scene.
Pros:
Maintains safety in the case of a lockdown
No retrieval of equipment required
Ceiling-mounted delivery is unaffected by foot traffic
Cons:
Only one person can use equipment
May have trouble navigating traffic in hallways
Limited to one floor
Requires training/awareness
Cieling-mounted delivery would require structural changes to building
Cieling-mounted delivery is difficult to reach upon arrival
Way finding to resources
Existing systems for locating equipment during mass casualty incidents (MCI) are confusing and insufficient, often relying on memorization of maps. This poses challenges, particularly for those unfamiliar with specific areas. Enhanced way finding is crucial to ensure straightforward and swift navigation to the required equipment, expediting the response to the injured.
Pros:
No memorization of maps
Real-time navigation
Built upon existing system of equipment
Cons:
Apps only available to those with watches/smartphones
Apps take time to set up
Technology can fail
Auditory senses can be affected by stress
Circulation pathways may elicit fear in students
Light-led guidance can lead to an easy target
Improvisation surrounding the use of resources
When individuals lack the necessary training, expertise, and experience for Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) response, they often rely on improvisation using available knowledge and resources to aid the injured. However, this improvised response, due to insufficient equipment and training, can lead to additional injuries. Introducing everyday devices that complement such improvisation enables those on the scene to immediately utilize available resources for an effective response.
Pros:
Immediate access
Everyday use instills familiarity
Supports improvisation
Cons:
Requires training/awareness
May not perform as well as equipment designed for MCI
The ideation of design conjectures within different areas of opportunity (training, delivery, way finding, improvisation) led to a narrowed focus on the area of improvisation in relation to MCI events.
Furthermore, untrained individuals, or “primary responders,” were identified as the target audience for this project.
Within the MCI timeline (shown below), the project scope has been narrowed down to the “evacuation” phase of MCI response.
Primary Responders: The first individuals on scene when a mass casualty incident (MCI) occurs, and before first response teams arrive. These individuals are typically untrained and inexperienced in first response.
Brainstorming was done to explore the following topic areas:
Improvisation
Improvisation- Within Classroom Setting
MCI Response- Within Classroom Setting
MCI Response- For Untrained Civilians
What is a Stair Chair?
This investigation of MCI evacuation led to the idea of stair chairs.
A stair chair is an assistive device designed to transport the mobility impaired throughout stairwells.
These devices often take the shape of a chair form, and range in price and function.
———————————— BENCHMARKING
Market benchmarking was carried out to identify and “rate” different aspects of stair chairs on the market. This analysis was used to identify any gaps within the marketplace.
During an emergency evacuation, those with mobility impairments need additional assistance or devices, such as stair chairs to navigate stairwells.
These devices are bulky and expensive, and often reserved for EMS/EMT.
There exists a need for a low-cost stair chair that is able to be purchased in mass quantity in the case of MCI scenarios.
finaLIZED BRIEF
When Mass Casualty occurs, Primary Responders often intervene before first response teams arrive, yet lack the necessary resources to respond.
During an emergency evacuation, these primary responders need access to assistance devices, such as stair chairs, to help those with mobility impairments to navigate stairwells.
These devices are bulky and expensive, and often reserved for EMS/EMT.
How can we produce a lower cost alternative to existing stair chairs that supplement evacuation efforts of primary responders, before first response teams arrive?