BehindTheMedspeak: Ultraportable Defibrillator

From Popular Science:

Quick access to an automated external defibrillator (AED) can increase a person's chances of surviving sudden cardiac arrest.

Since 2004, stadiums and gyms have increasingly been equipped with these smaller-than-hospital-grade devices, but only about 20% of incidents happen in public places.

HeartHero's device, currently in queue for FDA and other regulatory approval, is a purse-sized and easy-to-use AED that weighs just 1.3 pounds including pads and batteries, and is meant to be kept inside the homes of those at high risk of heart attacks.

With the conductive pads on a person's chest (as directed by voice-commanded instructions), the machine reads their heart rhythm to determine whether a shock is the right course; if it is, it provides the appropriate amount of charge and then rereads the rhythm to determine if more attempts are necessary.

The defibrillator measures 6" x 5.8" x 1.4" and has an integrated ergonomic handle.

More about the device, available for pre-order in Europe in the coming months and currently progressing through the FDA approval process in the U.S., here.

Once it's approved, get yours here.