The Research Infrastructure for Trauma with Medical Observations (RITMO) effort aims to combine large-volume multimodal sensor, intervention, and medical outcome data obtained from trauma patients during the early post-injury period into a single database. By using de-identified patient data, researchers can ensure that patient privacy is protected. Data collected in RITMO will support the DARPA Triage Challenge program to identify novel physiological signatures that could enhance triage decision-making in austere, complex, and mass-casualty settings.
DARPA has selected performers for the 3.5-year program. Teams led by Dr. Peter Hu at the University of Maryland and Dr. Frank Guyette at the University of Pittsburgh will contribute non-invasive continuous vital signs and medical interventions collected from trauma patients during field care, helicopter transport, trauma center reception, resuscitation, and stabilization. Additionally, the University of Maryland team will provide complementary indicators of patient status, such as brain and tissue oxygenation and pupillometry, while the University of Pittsburgh team will provide respiratory dynamics for patients requiring advanced airways and in-flight video, among other data.
“The data produced as part of the RITMO program is crucial to the success of the DARPA Triage Challenge,” said CDR Jean-Paul Chretien, RITMO program manager. “As part of the challenge, we are aiming to develop algorithms and systems that interpret physiological signatures and sensor strategies for complex mass casualty events.”
RITMO performers will engage with U.S. government stakeholders, as well as appropriate regulatory authorities and review boards, to ensure data quality and privacy. Teams will be required to collaborate with ethical, legal, and societal implications experts and ensure the research addresses any related concerns.
“The injury signatures developed in the DARPA Triage Challenge could assist medical responders in performing scalable, timely, and more accurate triage, especially in mass casualty events, when medical resources are limited relative to the need,” added Chretien.
The program acronym, RITMO, is a Spanish word meaning rhythm, and is a nod to physiological cadence.
Additional information on the RITMO program is available at: https://triagechallenge.darpa.mil/docs/Ritmo HR001122S0043.pdf
