Ease of use considerations for wearable point-of-care devices in home environments

The sub-population with the greatest need for home healthcare services also demonstrates the greatest variation in their ability to operate devices, so ease of use is critically important for wearable devices used in home environments. In this scenario, "ease of use" has multiple connotations, each of which requires different design elements. This paper reviews recent progress in the areas of wearable devices and wireless sensor networks. It then summarizes recent efforts in the Medical Component Design Laboratory at Kansas State University to create wearable components that address ease of use via the incorporation of plug-and-play, wireless, and interoperability standards. Specificatly, this project employed the IEEE/ISO 11073 and Bluetooth standards to achieve device auto-association, interoperability, and simple reconfligurability. Moreover, this paper stresses that, even with plug-and-play interactions between devices, human-device interactions are still desirable, especially when a user needs just-in-time information or device assistance. Human-device interactions, if properly directed, will enable patients to play a greater role in their care.