SafetyMate, a virtual start-up company consisting solely of an executive team without even an office, wished to bring to market a hand-held, interactive talking first aid training device for parents, particularly new moms. In preparation for a family emergency, the device was to ask parents yes-no questions leading to the correct first aid steps to take, presented verbally in the right order. The device’s answers were curated from a database of the most current emergency cardiovascular care (ECC) and American Red Cross first aid protocols.

The client brought MPE (Formerly Mindflow Design) a generic black box with functioning electronics. We were asked to transform it into a marketable consumer product.

MPE (Formerly Mindflow Design) had the advantage of previously developing SafetyMate’s talking first aid device for the commercial market. Essentially, we functioned as the executive team’s R&D department. On this project, we assumed responsibility for the industrial design, engineering and retail packaging for a product that became known as the SafetyMate SM200. The project also included development of a charging cradle.

We started with user research and human factors exploration to arrive at the correct configuration and form factor. We leveraged the visual brand language we established on the previous product we designed for them. The user interface and  interaction is highly intuitive due to a patented process in which blinking button choices guide parents through the various steps – an innovative approach to retaining and accessing critical information. By leveraging our international manufacturing resources and our engineering support, they met all cost and schedule goals.

SafetyMate SM200 offers new moms peace of mind by teaching them what to do in almost any emergency situation. As an added bonus, the product could be easily updated over time with the latest American Red Cross safety protocols.