Research has explored head-worn displays (HWD) in various professional contexts. However, evaluations have been limited by short-term use, a focus on the person using the HWD, and on performance variables. In a field study, we evaluated a monocular, opaque HWD for multi-patient monitoring, which supervising anesthesiologists wore for 8-10 days each. We investigated the effect of prolonged HWD use on the experience of the supervising anesthesiologists and their co-workers using interviews and repeated observations. A reflexive thematic analysis showed (1) interaction and mindset changes over time, (2) information on the HWD is more than numbers, (3) the HWD affects co-workers' collaboration with supervisors, and (4) distraction depends on the point of view. Using activity theory, we discuss the fact that HWD use develops and changes over time and that even a single-user HWD influences the collaboration with co-workers. We conclude with implications for HWD design, implementation, and evaluation.

Designing technology for emergency medical services (EMS) can be difficult, for example, due to limited access to domain experts. To support designers who aim to engage in a participatory design process in EMS environments, we created and evaluated the Contextual Secondary Video Toolkit (CSVT). This method uses secondary video material and design cards that allow domain experts to identify and prioritise challenges in their work environment and generate design ideas that address them. We illustrate the effects of the CSVT on design processes by analysing four workshops during which aeromedical EMS staff explored the potential of augmented reality to support their work. Our results indicate that the CSVT can support reflection about work practices, aid the generation of design ideas, and facilitate genuine participation. Furthermore, our data indicates that the use of secondary video in design projects is appropriate and even has certain advantages compared to primary field video.

Supervising anesthesiologists oversee junior anesthesiologists in several operating rooms to instruct and provide advice, and hence ensure high patient safety. Supervisors benefit from good situation awareness but accessing information about multiple patients can be challenging. In a user-centered design process, we have developed an interface concept for a head-worn display (HWD) to support multi-patient monitoring. The design includes data about the patients’ physiology, vital status, vital trends, and medications. We conducted an exploratory evaluation of a prototype in a high-fidelity medical simulation with six supervising anesthesiologists. Our results show that the supervisors’ situation awareness of all simulated operations improved because participants noticed and responded to multiple events over the course of the scenario. However, the supervisors reported increased mental workload due to the constant availability of patient data. We discuss insights about the HWD display, the design process, and the experience and views of staff on using the HWD.

Head-worn displays (HWDs) offer their users high mobility, hands-free operation, and “see-what-I-see” features. In the prehospital environment, emergency medical services (EMS) staff could benefit from the unique characteristics of HWDs. We conducted a field study to analyze work practices of EMS staff and the potential of HWDs to support their activities. Based on our observations and the comments of EMS staff, we propose three use cases for HWDs in the prehospital environment. They are (1) enhanced communication between different care providers, (2) hands-free access to clinical monitoring and imaging, (3) and improved realism of training scenarios. We conclude with a set of design considerations and suggest that for the successful implementation of HWDs in EMS environments, researchers, designers, and clinical stakeholders should consider the harsh outdoor environment in which HWDs will be used, the extensive workload of staff, the complex collaboration performed, privacy requirements, and the high variability of work.

Quick service restaurants (QSRs) are high tempo work environments that require collaboration and communication between crew. In a number of respects, head-worn displays (HWDs) might seem a promising technology to support QSR crew, but on close inspection they raise challenging issues for design. We conducted fieldwork studies at two large QSRs to understand how work is organised, how existing systems are used, and how information is displayed to and communicated between crew. We observed the crew working both routinely and with improvisation, collaboratively and individually, physically and digitally. From our analysis of the field study, we identify tentative use cases for HWDs, but with these also design tensions-that is, opportunities coupled with challenges that appear difficult to circumvent even with modest design proposals. These tensions would require careful consideration if HWDs were to be deployed in in QSRs, given that HWDs are ubiquitous, potentially private, digital, mobile, and able to collect behavioural data.