DigitalNeurosurgeon.com

By now, the updates for NeuroMind and Safe Surgery have been approved and are available in the App Store. Which made me remember to update the screenshots of NeuroMind! I uploaded new images (of the screens that changed) for the App Store, and on my website.

Recently I re-discovered how to use the magic wand tool in Adobe PhotoShop, so it was easy to remove the extra whitespace surrounding the iPhone screenshots in landscape mode, and put them a little over the four “portrait-oriented” screenshots. Which I think makes it look prettier.

The screenshots are meant for use in the NeuroMind section of this site, but for fun: here they are!

(click for large version)

I submitted updates for both the NeuroMind and Safe Surgery app to the App Store. They’re now waiting for approval: it should take some days before upgrades appear on your phone.

NeuroMind now goes to version 1.1 with these updates:

Content

• Anatomy > Peripheral category added with three images
• Renamed “WHO Safe Surgery” to “Safe Surgery”
• Scores > Other > ASA class added
• Updates menu-item added
• Smiley-icon added for each item that is new in the latest version

Technical

• Improved auto-rotation function for smoother user experience.
• Updated version number

(click for large version)

Safe Surgery 1.01 just had an updated notation of the copyright information.

Enjoy the software! With >7000 downloads of NeuroMind and >1100 downloads of SLIC so far, I guess that should be no problem! :-)

Only 1 week after my first post on a new iPhone app on safe surgery, I was ready to submit it to the App Store. Not celebrating the Dutch carnival provided enough time to finish development and testing.

My new application is based on the Safe Surgery Saves Lifes checklist from the World Health Organization (WHO). A very nice read on the subject is provided in Dr Atul Gawande’s new book: The Checklist Manifesto. Scientific background is provided in the New England Journal of Medicine.

(click for more info)

I submitted version 1.0 to the App Store on February 15, 2010. Normally, it should take between 3-7 days before you can download it (for free!) in the App Store.

I couldn’t resist the temptation of creating a simple no-nonsense surgical checklist for the iPhone. I searched the App Store, and I could only find Safe OR from QxMD. Although I think that QxMD is making pretty cool medical software for mobile devices, their surgical checklist is -in my humble opinion- overpaid, and unnecessarily complicated.

So I think I can do better? Yes, I can! And it won’t even take that much time. I started creating the graphical user interface based on the official WHO checklist, and decided that scrolling is not the way to go. I think that each section can fit into one screen, like:

(click for large version)

Of course, this is rather rudimentary. The layout definitely needs some improvement (read: alignment) and some details. Then I will add some functionality. I do have a nice idea for a practical solution that Safe OR does not offer -as far as I know- but I don’t know if I will include it in the first version of Safe Surgery.

I’d say… I’ll keep you posted!

The Maastricht University (MU) magazine (called the “Observant”) has published its article on iPhone apps made by MU faculty or students (in Dutch). It’s also available online.

I particularly like the Dutch phrase “Met NeuroMind kunnen in een handomdraai neurologische diagnoses gesteld worden”. Translated in English it would sound like “With NeuroMind one can easily diagnose neurological diseases”. However, there is a subtle language humor in “met een handomdraai”. Literally, it means “with a turn of the hand”, but it’s used as a metaphore for “easily”. In this case, the literal translation is correct as well, because DDx category switches between text mode and mindmap using the iPhone’s autorotation feature.

It’s not just the language that “has a twist”…

And that’s two! Last week SLIC has been accepted for the App Store, and today NeuroMind has been added as well! I like this screenshot, and although in Dutch, you’ll get the point! ;-)

Both apps together (click for full size)

I intend to publish an article in a peer-reviewed scientific journal about both. Currenly I am preparing the first manuscript on SLIC. Tomorrow, the new version of the Maastricht University magazine will appear that contains an interview with me on the apps (in Dutch).