Inspiration - The beginning of this project started with and image (shown above). It got me interested in the effect that technology inside the body, and what it means to the lifestyle and struggles of pacemaker users.
Demographics - In the "presearch" stage of my development i found that any age group of society can have an heart condition that requires a pacer and that 300,000 pacers are surgically implanted in the US every year.
Surgery - In the large number of surgeries every year, many of those are because an user's old pacer had a dieing battery, and an old pacer cant be reused. With a typical pacer only lasting 4-8 years, what does that mean for a child whose life depends on this device?
Pacers & the internet - The most raw information came from the users themselves. At a website called the pacemaker club I found that these users are extremely active, methodical, and conscious of every aspect of their health. Most of all i found that the user group could benefit from a system designed around their needs and new technologies
Exploration Sketching - the goal of my sketching was to explore the ways a user interacted with a thin interface while keeping in mind their needs. The turing point was this idea of mobility with out worry. Allowing the user to be anywhere. This would mean for the user, keeping the pacer charge and communicate to the user any information they need to know. For the doctor, this means still being able to receive information from the patient without needing to call or see the patient.
Form and function - The device would need to attach to the user no matter what they are wearing; so, it is in two parts: an upper body to hold the electronics needed and a lower body to hold and induction pad. These two being tethered by a wire wrapped in cloth. Both bodies contain magnets that come together and sandwich onto the users clothes over the pacer area.
Inside it all - The device would only need the electronics that are used by any cell phone (minus a few components). what is needed is a wireless receiver and broadcaster, USB port for charging and computer syncing, and a battery. By knowing this volume models explored the fit in the hand and style and placement of simple soft form buttons.
Heartlink
Heartlink
Hearlink and Pacer - The first interaction is between the Heartlink and the pacemaker. The Heartlink collects data from the pacemaker using a medical standard 2.4 GHz channel. It also charges the pacemaker using induction charging technology (that is already in use in a lesser know pacemaker by Boston Scientific).
Heartlink and the doctor - The second interaction is between the Heartlink and the doctor. The collected data from the pacemaker is sent over a wireless network to the doctors computer and into the patient files. The Heartlink can also plug into the users computer so they can see their own information to track their own health and at the same time charge the Heartlink.
Charging - To charge their pacemaker, the user slides the induction pad over the location of the pacemaker, and with the power of the magnets, the top body snaps to the pad securing the device to the users clothing.
Interface - The Heartlink itself has a minimal interface. Two bottons: one to power on and the second to display battery information. The bar light shows that the Heartlink is on and connected, while the other lights show the battery life of the Heartlink and the users pacer.
On the computer - The Heartlink can connect to the users computer where they can access different utilities provided by the Heartlink software. Here they can set personal schedules for workout routines and doctor visits, sync the Heartlink for their computer and track their health and progress, contact their doctor, or get connected to a forum like the Pacemaker Club.
The Heartlink is Scheduled by the users doctor to collect data from the pacemaker when necessary with out interrupting the lifestyle of the user.
The user can check their battery life at anytime and anywhere.
The Heartlink can be taken anywhere, any how. Attach it to a shirt, a bag, or a pocket and go.
Charging can be done when ever the user needs it to be.
It fits in the users lifestyle and gives them back something that technology had taken away: freedom.
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HeartLink