Cardiac Science receives U.S. Army's AWR certification for automated defibrillator

Cardiac Science Corporation, a global leader in automated external defibrillator (AED) and diagnostic cardiac monitoring devices, has been awarded Airworthiness Release (AWR) from the U.S. Army's Research, Development, and Engineering Command for the Powerheart® AED G3 Pro® automated defibrillator. The certification indicates the Powerheart AED G3 Pro complies with U.S. Department of Defense medical device certification criteria and is tested for use in air, sea, and land operations.

The Army, in determining airworthiness for the Powerheart AED G3 Pro, commissioned the United States Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory (USAARL) to perform in-flight and laboratory assessments to assess performance under a variety of conditions. The Powerheart AED G3 Pro met the rigorous requirements to earn the certification, including testing for device usability, electrical safety, electromagnetic interference, extreme temperatures, vibration, exposure to dust and rain, altitude, rapid decompression, acceleration, and crash durability.  

"We are proud our AEDs have earned this certification for use by the U.S. Army in operations, whether by air, land, or sea," said Dave Marver, Cardiac Science chief executive officer. "This clearance validates the performance of our AEDs in the most challenging environments and conditions."

The global military AED market is estimated to be $60 million, with half of that in the US.