How holistic UX Sound revolutionizes healthcare

Beyond Beeps
and Clicks

When talking about future interactive medical technologies and their user interface design, it is important to recognize the increasing relevance of the various modalities used, which include acoustic, visual or even haptic and other elements – and the challenging user experience principles that underlie them. UX research, user tests and scientific aspects such as communication psychology and psycho-acoustics have shifted into focus, and pure sound design can be seen as a detail within a multidimensional space of relevant aspects of the user experience. New technologies and insights in the field of artificial intelligence are opening up possibilities for us to create more personalised, tailored and efficient audio experiences.

We call this the comprehensive 360-degree approach to
user experience sound design:

• Overall medical UX sound Strategy
• UX Sound Design
• Interaction Design
• Sound Personalization
• Usabilitiy Testing

Guide Clinicans, Ease Patients

By prioritizing the emotional and psychological needs of both patients and healthcare providers, we can create a soundscape that reduces anxiety, fosters communication, and enhances overall well-being.
Imagine a hospital where soothing soundscapes and tailored audio-cue not only guide staff efficiently but also promote calmness and comfort for patients.
This innovative approach recognizes sound as a vital component of healthcare, elevating it from a mere background noise to a powerful tool for holistic healing and operational excellence.

• Improving the quality of work
• Increasing patient safety
• Improving overall acoustic situation

Increase Comfort, Reduce Stress

From an acoustical perspective, healthcare is a complex environment where a multitude of artificial alarm and information sounds compete for audibility - while being overlaid by a multitude of technical noises and hectic staff in demanding work environments. Inefficient and, above all, old-fashioned alarm designs lead to a phenomenon known as ‘alarm fatigue’, whereby doctors and nurses tend to quickly mute audible alarm and information systems, which has been shown to increase the number of missed alarms and serious risks to patients. Reducing alarm fatigue is one crucial step for us to improve patient safety and the working environment for medical staff.

• Rethinking the design approach of acoustic alerts
• Dynamic Alert Control
• Reduction of alarm fatigue

More Understanding,
less confusion

New equipment must be compatible and quickly integrated into the existing network of equipment in hospitals, which is known as interoperability. It is just as important that these devices can be rapidly understood and operated by staff in the next step. Our primary goal: the creation of a reliable standardised audio language that provides a humanly comprehensively evaluated, easy-to-learn and recognisable series of sounds for all important device categories. Ready to be adopted quickly by manufacturers. Audibly compatible with all other devices. 

• Standardized Sound Language
• Comprehensible & Compatible
• Fast Integration

Hands-Free,
Eyes-Free

Auditory alerting and information systems are an essential part of the sometimes fast-paced and hectic clinical decision-making process, where a lifesaving response is often required in a matter of seconds. Central to our approach is the commitment of our Sound UX team making medical technology as accessible and informative as possible on the hearing channel. In critical situations, less attention is required for visual user interfaces, leaving more time for what matters.

• Relief from the visual overload of multiple display environments
• Sound as a incidental channel for the crucial information
• Effectively reducing response times in serious situations

Autonomize,
Humanize

Staff shortages are already one of the biggest challenges facing the entire healthcare system. The trend to meet this challenge is towards automation: robotics, assistance systems, automated clinical routine laboratory work or central control units for operating a wide range of technical devices. Consequently, the demand for acoustic human-centred communication systems is constantly increasing. 

• Sound as a key form of communication with complex technologies
• Make technological processes easier to understand
• Make interaction with technology more human