Urgent call for existing and proven low-cost ventilator technologies

Call for technologies from across the globe, especially emerging markets, that can be rapidly adapted to be manufactured in the UK 

The Frontier Tech Hub, Global Disability Innovation Hub, UCL’s Institute for Healthcare Engineering and the Department for International Development (DFID) are looking at ways to increase production of the ventilators vital for treating people with Covid-19 respiratory problems in the UK.

 

We are seeking Africa and South Asia innovators who have made ventilators, that could be scaled. We are looking for technologies from across the globe, especially emerging markets, that can be rapidly adapted to be manufactured in the UK.

 

The winning technology will be adapted for manufacture and use in the UK by a team at UCL through UCL’s Institute for Healthcare Engineering with GDI Hub, and will receive a licensing fee.

 

Applications close: 24 March
Final selection: 25 March

 

A virtual, collaborative working group will take place on Thursday 19 March – Friday 20 March and participants with relevant, professional expertise as engineers, manufacturers, clinicians or intensive care technicians are invited to join us online for a Design & Refine Sprint. This will be an opportunity to explore how working designs and prototypes of low-cost ventilators could be adapted to fit different clinical environments (such as the NHS in the UK), meet the specific needs around Covid-19 and be manufactured at scale and at low-cost.

 

There are simply not enough ventilators for the projected number of people that may become ill in the UK, and state of the art ventilators will take too long to manufacture.  That’s why we have launched this urgent call for applications.

 

As of 21st March, the government has issued a minimally clinically acceptable ventilator specification: please click here for further information.

To apply, and for the eligibility criteria, please see here.

Any questions or comments, contact the team at COVIDaction@hellobrink.com

 

In addition to this call, KTN has published a call from the UK government for organisations who can support in the supply of ventilators and ventilator components across the United Kingdom as part of the government’s response to Covid-19.  If you can help, register here.