An application for EMS providers, on a pair of AR Smart Glasses
Project Brief
As Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers often find themselves overwhelmed with things to do on their hands, we asked: what if we move a bunch of necessary phone features onto a pair of AR Smart Glasses that they can wear instead?
This is an academic research project led by Professor Zhan Zhang from Pace University,
with fundings from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Our paper is published in international journals such as Journal of Internet Research and BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making.
Highlights
My Role
On-site Usability/ Simulation Testing
Hundreds of Hours of Data Collected
Five Academic Papers Submitted
Designer
Researcher
Writer
Project Timeline
First workshop + Initial design
Jun 2022
1st iteration
Oct 2022
Second Usability Testing
Jun 2023
Simulation Testing
Jan 2024
1st usability testing
Nov 2021
Sep 2022
2nd workshop + iteration
2nd iteration
Apr 2023
3rd iteration + ongoing
Sep 2023
Users
Thanks to the funding, we were able to conduct on-site simulation testings, surveys, and interviews with over 50 EMS providers and over 20 Emergency Department physicians across hospitals and fire departments in New York City and Colorado.
Painpoints - Solutions
Lengthy, manual process of patient data documentation
Physicians rely only on EMS’s verbal reports to assess patient conditions
EMS personnel must juggle tasks and safety concerns, often requiring multitasking
A wearable eye-device with camera lens on the frame that:
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automates data entry through image scanning and text recognition
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offers video chat with hospitals
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can be controlled by hand gestures or voice commands
Design Discussion
A steep learning curve with little time
When I joined the team, the project had already completed several workshops and on-site tests. I was left with a half-finished design file, hundreds of hours of unorganized interview notes, and an urgent need to learn the medical jargon our participants used.
This is medical UX research, not a business product
With my business school background, it was challenging to unlearn the habit of balancing user needs with profit models in the reiteration rounds. However, participants’ concerns over device quality, cost, and the medical application ecosystem due to the industry nature were all real business issues beyond our control.
It’s also less about how the UI looks, but to dig deep into why we implement a feature and why or why not it works.
Polarizing user needs in different regions
Along with our research partners in The University of Colorado Denver, we did both on-site testings in New York City and Colorado, revealing contrasting user needs due to differing urban and rural pain points in urgent medical transportation. This led to the development of two app versions, though adaptability to other states remains uncertain.
Demo Presentation
Design Overview
Documentation Application :
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Scanning - Record medication and IDs via barcodes
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Camera - Take photos, record videos
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Dictation - Record audios and auto-transcribe in the medical record application on PC/tablet
Teleconsultation Application :
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OLMC - Video chat with online medical control
(NYC regulations) -
Hospital - Video chat with destination hospitals
(Colorado regulations)
Final Thoughts
What I learned over the two years on this project is invaluable. Opportunities to dive deep into a crucial industry, engage in extensive discussions with professionals, and manage vast amounts of data are rare. I was fortunate to experience all of this by working closely with my professor and the Ph.D. engineer on the team, all while pursuing my Master’s degree in human-centered design.
Designing for the medical field is challenging. It’s not supposed to be about money, yet financial considerations are central. Our participants expressed a willingness to adapt to new technology as long as it benefits patients, but they also acknowledged that if the hardware is too fragile or doesn’t integrate with their current medical record systems, which vary across hospital networks, it simply won’t work. This issue is tied to deeper industry challenges. Some participants voiced concerns that many EMS providers aren’t receiving sufficient training, and that their roles in medical decision-making might eventually be bypassed as AI-assisted tools and direct communication with Emergency Department physicians become more prevalent.
While academic research can stop here, a real business product must address these challenges just to get a foothold in the field. And it won’t be an easy start.