A Novel Large-Capacity Supine Casualty Transport Vehicle: Design, Validation and Application for Mass Casualty Evacuation

Abstract Background Conventional supine casualty evacuation vehicles are characterized by limited transport capacity, and patient loading and unloading fully depend on manual lifting. This operation mode is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and is inadequate to address the demands of mass casualty scenarios. Methods This study presents a novel large-capacity supine casualty transport vehicle. The vehicle is designed to accommodate and evacuate 14 supine casualties in a single batch. Patient loading and unloading are achieved via a fully controllable electromechanical transmission system. The system integrates real-time vital sign monitoring and bidirectional secure data connectivity with base hospitals, enabling immediate emergency intervention in the event of acute clinical decompensation. The system architecture consists of four core modular components: a base transport platform, an electric conveyor subsystem for supine casualties, a central integrated vital sign monitoring system, and an on-board emergency care module. Field validation was performed to verify the practical performance of the system. Results The field validation confirmed that the developed system can effectively enhance casualty evacuation efficiency and reduce manpower requirements during the evacuation process. Conclusions The application of this large-capacity supine casualty transport system can provide significant advantages in scenarios requiring mass supine casualty transport, and has practical application value for mass casualty incident response.