Lawrence Livermore Hooks Up With NASCAR Teams On Simple Respirator For Use By COVID-19 Patients
LIVERMORE (CBS SF) -- Following weeks of prototyping, Lawrence Livermore Lab researchers have come up with a design that will allow the mass production of FDA-approved mechanical ventilators used in the treatment of critically ill COVID-19 patients.
Lab officials announced Tuesday an agreement with medical device startup company BioMedInnovations to manufacturer the ventilators.
The FDA evaluated the prototype and authorized it for emergency use, where it could provide relief in places where ventilators are in short supply, such as underdeveloped countries or hospitals in rural areas, or in the event of a sudden resurgence of COVID-19 transmission.
"It feels spectacular to have a chance to contribute to the cause," said engineer Jack Kotovsky, who spearheaded the ventilator effort. "I think all of us want to contribute and help individuals in all dimensions of the pandemic. Producing a piece of durable equipment that will directly benefit human life is very exciting."
The ventilator is the product of countless hours of design, prototyping and testing by LLNL and BMI engineers and scientists – many of them working from home.
"It is a true testament to the technical ability of this team, as well as the commitment to serve the public in a time of urgent national need, that the ventilator went from a design concept to a functional prototype in a matter of a few weeks despite all of the work restrictions that were in place at the time," said LLNL's Associate Director for Engineering Anantha Krishnan.
The North Carolina-based BMI specializes in machines used for tissue and organ perfusion -- devices that help blood and other fluids flow through harvested organs to keep them alive outside of the body for transplantation or research.
BMI will produce the ventilators, engage with potential customers and distribute the machines. The cost of each unit is expected to be a fraction of that of commercial ventilators.
"When we realized we were facing a pandemic, it was without reservation that we changed our focus at BMI and immediately began researching how to use our technology to design an emergency use ventilator," said BMI's Chief Operating Officer Carrie DiMarzio.
The project got a boost from the world of motorsports, which was on pause during the crisis.
Through BMI's relationship with Industrial Hard Carbon, the partnership brought in NASCAR racing teams Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions and Joe Gibbs Racing to build components for the ventilator.
Indy Car engine designer Honda Performance Development assisted with testing and engineering expertise. The ventilators themselves will be assembled by RYMS, a division of Roush Yates Engines, which builds Ford engines for multiple NASCAR teams.
The suitcase-sized ventilator has a simple user interface and large LCD display for monitoring pressures and air flow, circuits for inhalation and exhalation that are controlled by highly accurate pressure regulators and alarms to alert users if pressures fall out of range or if a system failure occurs.
