Comparing Geometric Object and Conventional Displays in Patient Monitoring

Anesthesiologists are highly trained professionals who are usually determined to maintain high standards while performing difficult tasks in life-threatening environments. Anesthesiologists must make a variety of decisions, in real-time, based on inputs from a myraid of monitoring instruments in much the same way as pilots of high performance air craft or nuclear power plant operators. Unfortunately the design of their displays is much poorer. This paper reports research aimed at extending the capabilities of the current monitoring system to integrative displays supporting the anesthesiologist's tasks of compensation and diagnosis.