Our hospital is in the process of installing three modular OTs, one in my department. A number of experts have been brainstorming on technical issues, when none of them is actually a specialist on this subject. The discussion keeps going off track, on tangents, and somehow comes back to the beginning time and again.
That day someone introduced the idea of putting voice command operated equipment.
"When we say 'table up', the OT table goes up" he said. "When we say 'head-low', the head end of the OT table goes down."
People were impressed. I had my doubts.
"It probably will not work in my OT" I said. "There are so many people talking at the same time, on many topics. How will the system understand which command is directed to it? there are those nurses handing over charge of the case when they go off to lunch. Then the anesthetists keep discussing adjustment of emergency duties. A number of people talk on private matters on mobile phones while an operation is in progress. Then the surgeons keep telling funny anecdotes when they are in a good mood."
"We can ask people to keep quiet" someone said doubtfully.
"Some surgeons are confused in the choice of terms. They say table, when they may mean their OT chair and the system may think it is the OT table the surgeon is talkig about. Some surgeons say elevate the table, and when the table starts going up, they say, 'no no, lower it'. So the system may have to be taught to reverse its action when the surgeon says something like 'oops'. When the surgeon cuts something like a blood vessel which he did not plan to cut and says something like 'shit', the system may not be able to comply with the order and may do the next nearest thing. That could be very awkward."
"....." the brain stormers said.
"Then on any given issue, there are usually ten different opinions of ten different people. When someone says 'table up', someone else will say 'head-low', and a third person will say 'OT chair up'. The end result may be a complex position found in yogic exercises."
"We can program the system to recognize a given voice, so that other commands are ignored" the proposer said.
"OK. Then there will be no compliance from the system when the guy giving commands develops a cold" I said.
All further discussion was drowned in a loud burst of laughter from everyone.
