Cradle developed which turns the iPhone into a CPR device
Medical uses for the iPhone are nothing new – an app has even saved a man's life – but now Ivor Kovic, an emergency physician from Croatia, has developed a device which turns the iPhone into a physical tool.
The device, which is only in the prototype stage now, allows for an iPhone or iPod touch to be inserted into a plastic cradle that assists an individual in performing Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR (also known as 'basic life support' in most of the world). The user would open the PocketCPR app (free) [iTunes link] and place the iPhone into the cradle. The cradle allows for greater leverage during CPR, thus reducing administrator fatigue, while also allowing unobstructed views of the the CPR app which is giving audio and visual commands to the user.
Dr. Kovic says that his device isn't necessarily intended for non-medical professionals who might only have to perform CPR once in their lives. He sees its primary advantage in hospital settings where doctors perform CPR on a daily basis. Also, the device could be useful in schools and businesses as an inexpensive way to help people perform CPR correctly.
You can find out more about the cradle at Dr. Kovic's blog.
Death from sudden cardiac arrest is not inevitable. If more people knew CPR, more lives could be saved. To find a class in your area, in the US contact the American Heart Association. In the UK contact Bart's City Life Savers.
