“Uninterrupted compression”, improves the likelihood of successful resuscitation from cardiac arrest.  The Institute’s research team continues to develop devices for efficient and safe, continuous precordial compression during CPR.

Uninterrupted chest compression may be performed in closed spaces, during transport in ambulances, stairways, elevators and also to assure that the manual effort is not compromized by fatigue of the rescuer. The Institute's Biomedical Engineers have designed and demonstrated the operability of a miniaturized chest compression (MCC) device that may be worn on the belt of a professional rescuer. The current device occupies only 121 cubic inches, which is less than 3 percent of the size of the widely used chest compressor by Michigan Instruments "Thumper".   The height of the device is only 3 inches above the chest level of the patient with a total weight of 4.5 pounds excluding the pneumatic energy source. The chest compressor is powered by either compressed air or oxygen and the oxygen is scavengered for enriching inspired air. Trials on animals provide evidence that the MCC performs as effectively as the "Thumper".