Medical

Avive Redesigns Response to Cardiac Arrest With New AED System

Avive Solutions and NewDealDesign created a novel automated external defibrillator device and connected network named Connect AED to shorten response times to sudden cardiac arrest victims. Photos courtesy of IDSA

Small, lightweight defibrillator is part of a connected ecosystem of responders

IDEA 2023: Part five of a series

Good design takes many forms. That point was driven home by a new and novel automated external defibrillator (AED) from Avive Solutions Inc., which was recognized with a top International Design Excellence Award (IDEA). The Industrial Designers Society of America honored the product with a Gold IDEA at an Aug. 23 ceremony in New York.

Though handsome and user-friendly, the Avive Connect AED—with its combination of injection-molded ABS, TPE and polycarbonate components—initially may appear to be just another defibrillator. But it offers a whole new approach to the challenges of responding to cardiac arrest.

Designed in partnership with San Francisco-based NewDealDesign LLC, the product is a fully featured AED that is part of its own eco-system, a comprehensive response network. The two firms took proven defibrillation technology and expanded its benefits to the masses with first-of-its-kind capabilities.

Avive, based in Brisbane, Calif., notes that sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) kills more than 350,000 people every year in the U.S. alone, and survival rates have remained at about 10 percent for decades. There’s a treatment for SCA—a life-saving shock from an AED. If used quickly, an AED can be highly effective. However, the problem is that AEDs are not readily accessible, and too often don’t get to the people who need them. From the moment someone experiences cardiac arrest, each passing minute reduces the chance of survival by 7 percent.

Connected Platform Is Key to Rapid Response

Avive calls its rapid-response program the 4-Minute City. It involves strategically placing AEDs throughout a city that are embedded with a connected platform coupled with community training.

Avive Solutions says it is “changing the paradigm of response to cardiac arrest emergencies by building a connected platform that empowers bystanders to help and facilitates closer collaboration between emergency responders and healthcare providers.” It calls its product “the first connected AED.”

To achieve this, the six-year-old Avive Solutions developed a rapid-response program called the 4-Minute City that involves strategically placing its automated external defibrillators throughout a city embedded with its connected platform coupled with community training. (See this video demonstration.)

Described as “smaller and lighter than any other AED on the market,” the device measures 5.63 x 6.3 x 2.6 inches and weighs just 2.1 pounds, with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

The portable Connect AED is the first such device to use both touchscreen and audio guides to shorten the time to shock.

The Avive Connect AED offers a seamless transfer of vital incident data to 911, EMS, and medical professionals at the right time, and provides automated remote monitoring to ensure a fleet of devices is ready to save a life. The key is for many people to have the device in their home or workplace.

When spread across a community, the fleet of Avive Connect AEDs acts as a mesh network of coverage enabling support to any individual within the radius of that network. With the aid of GPS, the 911-linked network of AEDs and local responders are alerted to find the closest AED to the victim. Once an AED is activated, it provides diagnosis and instruction to both professional and pedestrian users supporting a victim of sudden cardiac arrest.

Polymer Parts Make Device Rugged and Lightweight

Avive says this is the first such device to use both touchscreen and audio guides to shorten the time to shock and provide a sense of calm during an otherwise stressful situation. The polymer components contribute to its compact, rugged body which can be carried in a bag or in the glove compartment of a vehicle. It also can be mounted on a wall with the accessory cradle so it’s always accessible.

IDEA juror Patricia Miller, CEO and owner of Chicago-area injection molding and design firm M4 Factory, praised the Avive Connect AED for being “well-designed and engineered. “It’s such a step in the right direction and drives impact to the civilian level.”

IDEA jury chair Shujan Bertrand, founder and CEO of San Francisco-based sustainable soft goods maker Aplat, liked how the software worked and the clear, on-screen instructions, noting the AED was a strong contender for this year’s Best in Show Award.

Gadi Amit, president and principal designer of NewDealDesign, said: “We are proud to partner with Avive to develop such a progressive life-saving device, combining design, technology and digital service levels never seen before in the AED market.” —By Robert Grace