AED Cabinet Visibility

Automated external defibrillators mounted in public buildings are designed to be used by people with no medical training. Whether a bystander will actually grab one during a cardiac emergency rather than just calling 911 depends on how the cabinet and device are designed. Cabinets on campus tend to be bright red or yellow with a heart symbol and clear text that says AED. Better models have an alarm that sounds when you open the door, which signals to everyone nearby that an emergency is happening and help is being attempted. The device inside has voice prompts that walk you through the process step by step, where to place the pads, when to stand clear, whether a shock is advised. Simplicity of that interface is a genuine design achievement because it allows a panicked person with no experience to deliver a treatment that can restart a heart. The placement decisions are interesting because the devices need to be visible enough that people know they exist, accessible enough that someone can grab 1 within 3 minutes of a collapse. Positioned in areas where large numbers of people gather. At the gym entrance on campus, there is one mounted next to the door, which is the right location because exercise-induced cardiac events are a known risk. I walked past these cabinets for 2 years before I actually looked at 1 closely, and I think visibility and awareness are the biggest design challenges remaining. A device that can save a life only works if bystanders know it's there and believe they are allowed to use it.