Innovation & Design Lab

The IDL team address’s the complexities of innovation and design as it relates to: hospital structure; health care and health service delivery; and improved patients' health outcomes.
Current research projects include:
The impact of sound on patient health care and health outcomes
Virtual reality and the role of diagnostic imaging
Pharmacy effectiveness
Ergonomics of physical space
Communications with patients and families
Patient and staff safety
Improvement convalescent effectiveness
Staff management and workflow

IDL and its collaborators at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center are creating a new form of pain relief: DIGITAL ANESTHESIA.

What is Digital Anesthesia?
Digital Anesthesia is the application of virtual reality technology to produce total or partial loss of sensation, such as the application of digital anesthesia for patients who may not respond to or are contra-indicated against the use of drug or other substance-induced forms of anesthesia.
The Digital Anesthesia at IDL project began 18 months ago by observing children with Ataxia-Telangiectasia, or "A-T." This is a progressive, degenerative disease that involves degradation of muscle control and leads ultimately to immobility (e.g., being confined to a wheelchair) along with the hallmark, although harmless, signature feature called, “telangiectasia," which are tiny red "spider" veins seen on the eyes or surface of ears and cheeks of A-T patients when they are exposed to sunlight.

CATEGORY: Medical Technologies

URL:www.idl.umbc.edu

CREDITS:IDL Team, David Yager, Founder of IDL