Modular user interface design for integrated surgical workplaces

Abstract

AbstractSevere bottlenecks in usability and human technology interaction (HTI) of existing surgical workplaces and operating room (OR) equipment can occur today: lack of space, cable as trip hazard, communication problems between sterile and non-sterile staff, and operating errors in the handling of the medical devices. In fact, risks that are caused by poor usability can be critical, and studies show that most are preventable. This issue gets even more challenging in the context of open-OR networks regarding consistent and usable integration of user interfaces (UIs) of independently designed systems in one integrated surgical work system. In this work, a concept of generic UI profiles for the modular integration of a UI has been developed and first prototypes have been implemented. The concept is essentially based on the approach of device profiles developed in the context of the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung project OR.NET (