Carleton’s human-oriented technology (HOT) lab and AMITA, a public safety and emergency management solutions firm, have collaborated to develop a technology to aid emergency response in the event of a disaster at the upcoming Olympic Games.
The first responders to an emergency use the software to input information about the nature of the disaster, the number of casualties and the different types of injuries. The data would be sent directly to the B.C. ambulance services and paramedics.
The information will then be passed to the hospital, allowing staff to anticipate the extent of the injuries, as well as the nature of them. Providing the information ahead of time will ensure faster medical response times with higher levels of efficiency.
The project was funded by Defense Research and Development of Canada.
According to Shelley Bryen, senior manager of marketing and communications for AMITA, the initial catalyst for this project was that “no commercial software had been designed to deal with these situations in the past.”
She also explained the importance of developing innovative software to aid emergency response for events of this magnitude. It is a brand new technology that has proven to be successful in test phases, but the real test will be its effectiveness in a real-life disaster.
Carleton and AMITA have had a long-standing relationship dating as far back as AMITA’s inception in 1985.
“This is one of multiple projects involved with Carleton and AMITA,” Bryen said.
The corporation sought out Carleton’s expertise in the psychology of real-world user interaction with technology, and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Carleton’s HOT lab designed the user interface for the software program, noting that it would be used in very high-stress situations.
“The tests have been successful, but people cope differently under stressful situations- especially when such a large group of people will be in one place,” said Gitte Lindgaard, director of the HOT lab.
The first responder software was initially developed in 2003, but its popularity has gained momentum since collaborating with similar systems, Lindgaard said.
The interface is user-friendly ensuring that the information is where it needs to be immediately. Users are able to determine the system’s activity while continuously adding new information as needed. Additionally, the software automatically tracks the number of each type of casualty and fatality.
The 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver will utilize the software as a precautionary measure in case of a major disaster at the event.