NASA develops special ‘high pressure ventilator’ in just 37 days for COVID-19 patients



[ad_1]

In a great feat, scientists from the US National Space Agency USA NASA has developed a new easy-to-build ‘high-pressure blower’ in a matter of just 37 that is expected to help save many lives as the world battles the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the press release on the NASA website, the device is called VITAL (Locally Accessible Ventilation Intervention Technology) and it passed a critical test this week at the Ichan School of Medicine in New York. The lure is designed to treat patients with milder symptoms, thus maintaining the country’s limited supply of traditional ventilators available for patients with more severe COVID-19 symptoms.

‘Duty to share experience’

Jet Propulsion Laboratory Director Michael Watkins said: “We specialize in manufacturing spacecraft, not medical devices. But excellent engineering, rigorous testing and rapid prototyping are some of our specialties. When the people at JPL realized that they might have what it takes to support the medical community and the community at large, they felt it was their duty to share their ingenuity, experience and drive. ”

READ: NASA commemorates Earth Day 2020 with the iconic ‘Blue Marble’ – the first photo of Earth from space

NASA “very pleased” with the test result

The space agency is now seeking FDA approval for the device through an emergency use authorization, which is an accelerated approval process developed for crisis situations that takes only days instead of years.

Matthew Levin, an associate professor at the Icahn School of Medicine, said the team is confident that the VITAL will be able to safely ventilate patients with the deadly disease in the United States. USA And all over the world. Furthermore, he added that the team is also “very satisfied” with the results of the tests carried out in the “high-fidelity human simulation laboratory.”

READ: NASA Astronauts Share ‘Some Good News’ on John Krasinski’s Show; Watch

In addition to explaining the device, the NASA team detailed that VITAL can be built faster and maintained more easily than a traditional fan. It is also made up of far fewer parts, many of which are currently available to potential manufacturers through existing supply chains.

In addition, with a flexible design, the device can also be modified for use in field hospitals that are installed in convention centers, hotels and other high-capacity facilities around the world.

The new device, like all ventilators, will require patients to be sedated and an oxygen tube inserted into their airways to breathe. NASA also reported that VITAL would not replace current hospital ventilators, as the device is designed to last only three to four months and is specifically designed for the needs of COVID-19 patients.

The intent with the device, according to NASA, is to decrease the likelihood that patients will reach that advanced stage of the disease where they require advanced ventilator assistance.

READ: NASA, Space X to Launch Manned Mission from US Ground Next Month

READ: NASA, SpaceX will launch two American astronauts to the ISS on May 27, for the first time in a decade.



[ad_2]