By Andrew Liszewski
In the event of an emergency would you be prepared to properly perform CPR on someone? The answer from most people would probably be a guilty “no” even if they’ve had training in the past. No one wants to be responsible for someone losing their life because they didn’t perform CPR properly, so first and foremost the PocketCPR provides confidence when it comes to administering the life saving act. Using audio and visual instructions, the device walks a user through the preliminary stages including checking responsiveness and calling for help, and while performing CPR it uses an accelerometer to measure the rate and depth of chest compressions to ensure they’re being done properly and at the correct intervals (using an audible metronome) for optimal effectiveness.
The PocketCPR device is approved by the FDA and is available now as an ‘over-the-counter’ rescue device for $149. However, a lot of us already carry an accelerometer-equipped device every day in the form of our iPhones, so an app version of PocketCPR is now available for just $3.99. It’s not approved by the FDA just yet for use in an actual emergency, which is why the on-screen instructions bear the ‘TRAINING USE ONLY’ warning, but it seems to provide the exact same functionality as the dedicated device turning your iPhone into an effective tool for learning the life saving procedure.
