Linak

PATIENT PANELS WITH AN INTELLIGENT TOUCH

Creating a care panel prototype for Linak

Mjølner initiated a careful, but effective insight and ideation phase, challenging and exploring the different use scenarios carried out through and around Linak’s products. Linak wanted a concept that was not based on a technical approach, but one that had a user-friendly and modern expression.

Industry:

Manufacturing

We delivered:

Software consultants

Technology:

Embedded user interface development, Interface design, User experience

THE CHALLENGE

Linak is a leading producer of linear actuator solutions with a global presence. They provide solutions designed to improve the lives of both patients and care personnel in hospitals, treatment centers, and private homes. They came to Mjølner with an idea for a touch-based panel for hospital beds, which they wanted to explore on a prototypical level. Linak wanted a concept that was not based on a technical approach, but one that had a user-friendly and modern expression.

We initiated a careful, but effective insight and ideation phase, challenging and exploring the different use scenarios carried out through and around Linak’s products. Focus was put on the most critical use situations revolving around the patient’s ability to quickly alert care personnel. At the same time, the care panel also needed to provide an efficient and safe way for care personnel to service the primary user: the patient.

Today, hospital beds are connected to up to five different products. Taking a vantage point in the lessons learned from the insight phase, we challenged Linak’s existing solutions and explored whether the setup could be simplified without compromising the needs of the different users.

OVERWHELMING POSITIVE RECEPTION OF THE PANEL

The result was the design of a user interface for a single device to serve the needs of three different user groups; Patients, care personnel, and maintenance. The solution was developed on a resistive touch-screen, based on Mjølner’s framework, TouchGFX, which makes it possible to offer great looking, touch-based graphics using extremely little processing power and with a very low battery consumption.

The outset of the project was not to put the device into production, but to explore ways of innovating Linak’s existing hardware and software setup. This was indeed achieved. Linak put the prototype on display at the Medica Trade Fair in Düsseldorf and the reception from customers was an overwhelmingly positive one. The patient panel has led to the initiation of several new and on-going productions.

“Even though it was still a concept model, the customers were extremely curious and there was a queue by the bed. We actually had to regulate the access. Many even asked: when can we buy it? That was an awesome experience.”

Martin Godt, Chief of Products

THE CLIENT

Linak is a leading Danish manufacturer of linear actuators based in Guderup, Als. Linak provide solutions designed to improve the lives of both patients and care personnel in hospitals, treatment centers, and private homes. In 1982, the company moved to the current location, where it spans 38,000 m². In addition to sales offices in 35 countries, it has factories in the US, China and Slovakia. In total it has approx. 2,000 employees.