Medical Equipment Design
Overview
As medical equipment designers use more audible alarms to provide feedback and/or issue warning sounds, the potential for auditory overload and confusion in any given medical setting increases. International standard IEC 60601-1-8, issued in 2003, attempts to harmonize alarm systems in medical equipment. Meeting the requirements of this complex 100+ page document, however, is not an easy task. Knowing how IEC 60601-1-8 impacts the process can save development time and cost. This presentation will explain why the general requirements of IEC 60601-1-8 are important, and provides an overview of the different alarm technologies used in medical equipment design, including piezo-alarms, electromagnetic alarms, and speakers.
Key Takeaways
- Understand key characteristics of state-of-the-art electronic audible alarm technology
- Learn the basic requirements of IEC 60601-1-8 as it pertains to audible warning sounds
- Discover current options for meeting the requirements of IEC 60601-1-8
Speaker
A 20-year electronics industry veteran, Dan O'Brien is vice president of sales and marketing for Mallory Sonalert Products. His audible alarm experience includes four years in sales engineering and eight years in engineering management. Listed on four audible alarm patents, O'Brien has authored numerous articles on audible alarms and their applications. He holds a BSEE and MS in Management from Purdue University.
