Touchless computer interfaces in hospitals: A review.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Infection Control

Background:

• Technology use in hospitals increases pathogen transmission risks.
• Sterilizing traditional computer controls is challenging.
• Touchless interfaces offer a solution for sterile environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review touchless interaction with computer equipment in hospitals.
• To identify advantages and challenges of touchless interfaces in healthcare.
• To outline future research directions.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search on touchless interaction in hospital settings.
• Analysis of studies focusing on sterility, hands-busy scenarios, and hardware limitations.
• Review of implemented gesture controls for input and system navigation.

Main Results:

• Sterility is a primary driver, with hands-busy settings also noted.
• Technical challenges are diminishing in recent research.
• Image navigation in operating rooms is a common application.
• Gesture-based control is frequently employed.
• Most studies have small sample sizes, focusing on feasibility and accuracy.

Conclusions:

• Touchless interfaces are a viable solution for improving hospital hygiene.
• Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to validate usability and effectiveness.
• Future work should address broader applications and long-term impact.