Challenges and opportunities for designing new technology to reveal early warning signs in acute psychiatric units

This paper describes the challenges and lessons learned in the design of a patient monitoring and early warning system for patients in acute psychiatric centers. We began by conducting contextual inquiries and a focus group to identify the challenges and opportunities for the application of new technologies. The resulting themes were then used in the development of wearable sensing and environment monitoring devices that can be configured for individual patients and the specifics of the facility.