1. Group 18 JoongHoon Park Jae Hyung Kim
EZ TALK
Group 18
JoongHoon Park
Jae Hyung Kim

2. Problem What is the problem? Intubated patients
Unable to communicate using speech
Impaired memory
Visual disturbance
Reduced attention and concentration

3. Background Intubation
Plastic tube inserted into patient’s throat via mouth
Tube in patient’s neck (Tracheostomy)

4. Demands Questionnaire done by 15 nurses
80% felt patients have difficulties to communicate with their care providers using speech or body language.
73% felt treatment of patients can be improved by better communication.
87% felt patients need a computer based communication aid

5. Definition and goal
To create a device to aid communication between intubated patients and care providers
Provide a convenient device for patients and nurses.
Design a device which fully interpret patients’ needs.
Minimize price of the device.

6. Concept Map

7. Solutions Device must be portable Device with touch screen interface
Easy to access
Easy to recognize
Personalized data
Signal from device for nurses to be notified
ICU TALK

8. Solutions
ICU TALK

9. Possible Approach Tablet PC with Touchscreen Software
 Estimated price: $ ~1500
Serial Remote LCD Display with Touchscreen 

10. Future work
Conduct another survey to find out what kind of commends the intubated patients want on our device. (In progress)
Continue analyzing the basic principles of touch screen and software.
Try to modify current devices to more cost-efficient and user-friendly device of our own.
Visit a hospital and observe actual environment.

11. Acknowledgements
Dr. H K Ahn- Kyung Hee University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Dr. Paul H. King- Professor of Biomedical Engineering,
Vanderbilt University.
Richard Fries – Datex-Ohmeda Corporation