Triage Training System
Please note: The TTS ver 2 is in the final stages of development, please let us know if you are interested in its development and when it is available
Videos:
Triage Training System- Outside: http://youtu.be/OuhLONtDkW4
Triage Training System with Acting Coach Audio: http://youtu.be/u2nGL8isalI
Photo Gallary
In the News:
Winner of the MicroMedic 2013 Competition
Overview
Summary
The Triage Training System (TTS) provides a simple, mobile way to dynamically manage large groups of “victims” in a mass injury simulation by providing individual instructions on how each “victim” should act based on their unique injury. The TTS also simulates life signs such as a pulse. In addition, it simultaneously collects “treatment” data on how each of the victims were assisted (pulse and airways) and sorted in real time by the medics.
This new system is more cost-effective than current methods because it: 1) Reduces training preparation time for both coordinators and participants, 2) Allows everyday actors without specialized medical knowledge (wider pool of actors) to portray realistic scenarios, and 3) Uses off-the-shelf technology to build the devices which saves costs associated with custom hardware.
Description
The Triage Training System has two main parts. The first system is the “Acting Coach” that each actor playing a “victim” wears and the second system is the “Coordinator’s Tablet” that the coordinator uses to direct and manage the simulation.
Acting Coach
The Acting Coach is a small, wearable device that:
- Communicates with the Coordinator’s Tablet
- Gives individualized audio instructions to the actor playing the victim
- Simulates life signs consistent with the simulated injury
- Monitors sensors that record and transmit the paramedic’s actions in assessing the victim’s condition
- Records and transmits what triage level the paramedic assesses them at (Dead, Immediate, Delay, or Minor)
The small form factor and rugged design of the Acting Coach allows for more realistic simulations under inclement weather. The simplicity of design and interface allows for less “training the victims” and more “training the medics” than current methods while simultaneously allowing for more complex scenarios that have multiple phases just like real disasters.
Acting Coach Major Systems |
1) Propeller chip on a Parallax Demo Board controlling the Acting Coach system 2) Twelve unique injuries roughly divided into three groups (Airway, Circulation/Bleeding, Shock/Nerves system) of switches with four levels of severity located on the top board (image to the Right). The coordinator just selects which injury(s) they want for that scenario. 3) XBee Pro (range- 1 mile outside) in API mode provides two- way communication between the Coordinator and each actor 4) Emic2 text-to-speech module provides audio instructions to the actor playing the victim while allowing the victim to remain in character 5) Replay button allows the actor to replay the last set of instructions 6) Air pressure sensor that monitors both: • If the paramedic checks to see if they can revive a non-breathing victim • If paramedic uses the correct technique 7) RFID tag reader for reading which trauma level tag that the paramedic assess the victim at (Dead, Immediate, Delay, or Minor) 8) RFID tags for assigning trauma levels (Dead, Immediate, Delay, or Minor) [not shown] 9) RFID LED indicator lights that indicate that the RFID tag has been read and what the victim’s trauma level is
10) Pulse monitoring button that is worn on the victim’s arm, leg, or neck 11) Pulse motor vibrates the correct intensity and duration to simulate the pulse of a victim with those injuries. The motor is strategically located directly next to the pulse button so that the paramedic can use the correct technique for checking the victim’s pulse without breaking character 12) Audio jack for actor’s headphones |
Coordinator’s Tablet
The Coordinator’s Tablet is a small portable device that the coordinator uses to:
- Simultaneously start and end the simulation for all of the participants
- Direct the actions of the “victims”
- Monitor the paramedic’s responses
- Advance the simulation for more realistic, multiphase simulations that could have multiple groups of victims that would simulate multiple attacks or explosions
- Escalate the simulation by increasing the injuries of any of the victims who did not have their wounds correctly assisted or who had not yet been treated
- The small size and rugged construction allows the coordinator to have mobility and is discreet enough that they could remain anonymous (if desired) while walking throughout the simulation
- The flexibility of choosing wounds and wound groups helps recreate the chaos of emergencies
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Finial SummaryThe Triage Training System is a simple, cost effective way to train first responders in more realistic scenarios than are currently possible. The Acting Coach quickly gives the actors (playing the victims) the ability to convincingly play their parts without having to spend hours going through training and trying to remember their symptoms or to have specialized medical knowledge. All they have to do is wear the Acting Coach and follow the verbal instructions given to them via the inconspicuous ear bud. They no longer have to break character and read “cheat sheets” or guess. In addition, the Coordinator’s Tablet allows the coordinator to walk covertly throughout the scenario, monitoring and recording the progress of the medics and secretly advance the scenario without having to resort to announcing everything through a radio or loud speaker, breaking the realism of the scenario. Future iterations of the Acting Coach could include functional wounds with realistic bleeding and the Coordinator’s Tablet could be easily equipped to trigger environmental events such as simulated explosions.
Cover Photo Model Credit: Specialist Micah Morgan Videos:Triage Training System- Outside: http://youtu.be/OuhLONtDkW4 Triage Training System with Acting Coach Audio: http://youtu.be/u2nGL8isalI |
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