Crestron and ORBIS team up for Flying Eye Hospital installation
Control system manufacturer Crestron will play an instrumental role in delivering eye care training to thousands of eye care professionals across the world. Paul Skelton reports.
ORBIS International is a non-profit humanitarian organisation that works in developing countries to save eyesight around the world. Recently, the organisation teamed up with control system manufacturer Crestron to outfit a newly acquired MD-10 aircraft – known as the Flying Eye Hospital (FEH), which was donated to ORBIS by FedEx – with state-of-the-art control system technology.
The next-generation FEH includes an operating theatre, laser treatment room, communications centre, recovery room, AV/IT room and a 46-seat classroom, all of which will rely on Crestron’s technology to achieve ORBIS’ mission.
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“Crestron’s AV solutions will serve as an invaluable advantage in ORBIS’ mission to continue to save sight worldwide,” ORBIS International MD-10 project director Jack McHale says.
“The FEH will use this technology to teach, collaborate and disseminate information. Doctors, nurses and other eye care professionals will gather for lectures, discussions and live broadcasts of surgical procedures all performed onboard the FEH.
“Crestron’s onboard control solutions include audio and video distribution systems, multimedia processors, and camera control. This ‘teaching facility with wings’ features 15 cameras and 17 monitors. An IT or AV technician can broadcast from any camera to any monitor using Crestron.”
The donated equipment was installed by the hospital engineering team at Mobile Medical International Corporation.
Several 24-inch HD touch screen displays provide control and two-way communication between the operating theatre and the classroom. Crestron speakers provide the audio for the training sessions, and Crestron DigitalMedia handles the toggling between cameras to allow eye healthcare professionals to view the procedures in HD.
Tablet-style Crestron TSW touch screens also allow for full control of the AV systems.
“The Crestron equipment in the classroom on the FEH has been analysed by our aircraft engineering team and will be certified as part of the aircraft modification. However, the equipment in the hospital modules are carried as aircraft cargo due to the innovative module design implemented on the MD10 FEH.
“This eliminates the aircraft certification aspect, but the hospital engineers in partnership with the aircraft engineers still analyse mounted equipment and wiring to withstand flight loads and operations. “
The MD10 FEH will go on its first program in 2014.
TO SOAR ABOVE
Crestron became involved with the FEH project when chief executive and aviation enthusiast George Feldstein toured the current ORBIS DC-10 Flying Eye Hospital at the EAA AirVenture air show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in 2012.
“ORBIS is providing quality eye care to an underserved population. Our complete solution will facilitate communication and collaboration between doctors, nurses, and technicians to administer care in ways that were previously unimaginable,” George says.
Previously, George founded the Crestron Eagles Program, through which the company donates state-of-the-art home theatre systems to military hospitals to provide comfort and entertainment to wounded service men and women returning from active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“The Crestron Eagles Program began when Crestron Government Support services manager and retired US Marine Pete Baca visited Walter Reed Army Medical Centre and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune,” Crestron public relations manager Joyce Essig says.
“He was impressed by the optimism and determination of the wounded soldiers and marines. When they were not in physical therapy working hard to recover, they passed time in the lounge or recreation room which, before the Eagles program, provided few amenities or comfort. Learning of the basic conditions in the lounges for these heroes and their families, George Feldstein was immediately motivated to take action.
“As an active member of the ELF Foundation, which donates home theatres to children’s hospitals, George was inspired to create the Crestron Eagles Program. The ELF Foundation has been a huge success, completing 70+ “Rooms of Magic” in just a few years, and providing support to children with long-term illnesses and their families.
“Our goal is to donate at least four systems per year and everything is donation-based – products from Crestron, Crestron partner manufacturer’s products and programming/installation time from Crestron authorised dealers and Crestron authorised independent programmers.”
Over the past four years, the program has donated 20 home theatres through the United States. The total value of these systems is in excess of $1.2 million.
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