sleep disorder analyzer
outerspace collaborated with medical diagnostic device company Compumedics to design Grael, a polysomnogram or PSG device that detects and records the physiological variables used to diagnose neurological and sleep disorders including sleep apnea.
Duration
2 years
industry
expertise
Recognition
Good Design Award, Powerhouse Museum Award
Grael is used with a range of sensors to record and analyze vast amounts of complex data to increase a patient’s ability to get a good night’s sleep and improve their quality of life.
Grael is unmatched in its combined performance in terms of number of channels, sampling and storage rates and digital resolution and is the first high definition recorder.
Patient experience during testing for sleep disorders can be daunting and time consuming. Our design team worked closely with patients, clinicians and physicians in the clinical environment to understand their concerns and how Grael could be designed to be user friendly.
With multiple wires and electrodes that attach to a patient’s head and body, Grael is a complex medical device. We designed Grael to look friendly and approachable to patients. The rounded corners and sloping faces soften Grael’s appearance giving it a friendly form.
With standard PSG systems, patients are tethered to their beds and getting mobile requires disconnecting an array of sensors. We designed Grael to have a one-touch power and data disconnect function, that allows patients to take Grael with them when they need to be mobile for short intervals.
We engineered Grael to be lightweight at 800g and integrated a lanyard for portability.
Clinicians and physicians demand a logical connector layout. We designed connectors to have generously spaced interface graphics to assist setup and troubleshooting and custom touch-proof backlighting, a breakthrough in the medical device industry.
If a signal is weak or lost, the unit instantly identifies a particular electrode enabling quick rectification to continue the session with minimal interruption. It guides clinicians in the electrode placement set-up.
We designed a cradle for the device that allows flexibility to place Grael on a bedside table. Rotating a cradle bracket allows Grael to be mounted vertically on a wall or trolley.
