A medical device’s interface design holds critical significance in healthcare, as any issues with it can cause life-threatening risks. Medical devices with efficient user interfaces improve the feasibility of staff in the center.

Without a systematic user interface, no medical staff will be able to use all the features of a device, no matter how superior they are. Since medical staffs have limited technical knowledge, they need a user interface that is straightforward and has high usability.
To make sure that the device equips a convenient user interface, they first need to find a suitable manufacturer.

When finding a medical device UI design company, individuals need to consider the following points for their products:

1. Ergonomics
Ergonomic and anthropometric data should be the basis of a medical sensor design UI. The specifics include the fonts, menus, windows, and buttons. Manufacturers should have the typical size of male and female fingers in mind before making the UI.
The average male finger size is 20mm; therefore, the buttons should be equal or larger than 20x20mm. Smaller button sizes will decrease the functionality and accuracy of the user interface.

2. Touchscreen type
Resistive and capacitive are the two most widely preferred touchscreen types in the world. Whereas some medical devices require capacitive. However, on the other hand, some require resistive ones.
Many times, medical staff and doctors wear gloves and use these devices while wearing them. In that case, capacitive touch screens would not function, as they only respond to human touch. Resistive touchscreens are the ones that can respond to both bare human touch and also other textures such as a glove.

3. Typeface
Typeface might not seem like a big deal, but they play a major role in a medical device’s interface design. Sans serif and serif, the two most common font types, are used in a wide variety of devices and products.
However, the most popular one among medical devices is sans serif. It offers an exceptional viewing experience, even when the size is small. Owing to their modern, schematic, and perceptible structure; they are incredibly readable.

4. Color
Like any other user interface, color also plays a crucial role in patient delivery equipment and monitors design.  UI designers need to take utmost care when incorporating color in the interface; specific colors are assigned to different modules for easy recognition. In medical devices: nitrogen gets assigned black; carbon dioxide grey; and nitrous oxide blue.

Color blindness is also one of the major concerns when developing a medical sensor user interface. In this case, companies tend not to use colors to assign elements that remain unaffected with color blindness.

When it comes to medical device’s interface design, aesthetics is not the priority. For medical devices, usability is the primary element, followed by everything else. Inability to provide a sensible reason behind the UI design can enable the design to be rejected by medical regulators.

Looking to design a user interface for your medical device in the USA? Why not try PRINTEC. With an industrial experience of around 25 years, they excel when it comes to manufacturing human interface design. To top it all, they are ISO 9001:2008, ISO 13485:2003, ISO 14001:2004, and ISO/TS 16949:2009 certified.