I-Corps: Translation potential of a cardiac defibrillator capable of providing dual sequential external defibrillation

Award ID: 2629314

This I-Corps project is based on the development of a medical device that improves survival after sudden cardiac arrest. When the heart slips into a chaotic electrical rhythm, it stops pumping blood, and death follows within minutes unless the rhythm is corrected. About 100,000 people in North America die unexpectedly this way each year, including roughly 40,000 in United States hospitals. An electrical shock to reset the heartbeat is the only treatment that raises the odds of survival, yet many shocks fail, and patients whose rhythm resists a standard shock rarely survive. The most effective rescue method for these cases currently requires two separate machines working together by one person, an approach that is difficult to coordinate, easy to get wrong, and impossible when only one machine is on hand. This technology delivers a dual electrical shock in a single, simpler device, cutting the chance of operator error and making the treatment workable in ambulances, emergency rooms, military settings, and other places where a second machine is rarely available. This may eliminate the need for multiple machines and improvised workflows while enabling more consistent execution of advanced care for sudden cardiac arrest and save lives. This I-Corps project utilizes experiential learning coupled with first-hand investigation of the industry ecosystem to assess the translation potential of a single cardiac defibrillator engineered to perform double-sequential external defibrillation (DSED). DSED is an evidence-based strategy for stopping refractory ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia, the most common arrhythmias that cause sudden cardiac arrest. Clinical trial data published in 2022 showed that DSED, which places two sets of pads at separate chest positions and discharges them in rapid sequence, improves patient survival over a standard single shock. In current practice, the strategy needs two defibrillators and manual timing by one operator, which makes the interval between shocks imprecise and can damage equipment. This technology integrates inputs for two pad sets into one device, with a single display for rhythm analysis, one command to charge two independent capacitors, and one command to discharge both pad sets at a preset, programmable delay. Automating the interval removes a known source of human error and creates a controlled platform for studying the optimal timing. Reading the rhythm from two pad sets also may reduce missed shockable rhythms, a recognized cause of death. In addition, this technology may reduce operational complexity while potentially improving reliability and consistency of care and patient outcomes. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Program Director: Ruth Shuman