Mercedes F1 team helps create breathing aid for Covid-19 patients

[midian182]

Why it matters: More non-medical companies are developing equipment to help those infected with Covid-19. The latest of these is the Mercedes Formula One team, which has helped create a breathing aid that could keep patients out of intensive care.

Engineers and clinicians from University College London worked with Mercedes F1 to create the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, which has already been used in China and Italy.

As reported by the BBC, CPAP pushes a steady flow of air-oxygen mix into the mouth and nose of patients. The pressure means the lungs stay open, increasing the amount of oxygen that enters the organs. This reduces the effort needed to breathe in, which can be especially difficult when Covid-19 has caused the alveoli—air sacs in the lungs—to collapse.

CPAP uses a mask or a transparent hood over the patient's head, making it less invasive than a ventilator.

Italy reports that around 50 percent of patients that were given CPAP didn’t need to be placed on a mechanical ventilator.

“These devices will help to save lives by ensuring that ventilators, a limited resource, are used only for the most severely ill,” said Professor Mervyn Singer, a critical care consultant at UCL Hospital.

“While they will be tested at UCL Hospital first, we hope they will make a real difference to hospitals across the UK by reducing demand on intensive care staff and beds, as well as helping patients recover without the need for more invasive ventilation.”

The first CPAP device was produced in under 100 hours, and forty of the new machines have been delivered to ULCH and to three other London hospitals. If trials are successful, up to 1,000 can be produced each day by Mercedes-AMG-HPP.

Elsewhere, several companies are now making standard ventilators, which are in short supply in the UK. Racing teams Haas F1, McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull Racing, Racing Point, Renault Sport Racing, and Williams have joined Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Siemens to produce the devices.

We recently reported that Dyson had built a ventilator in just ten days using its digital motor technology, and plans an initial run of 15,000 units.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/84604-mercedes-f1-team-helps-create-breathing-aid-covid.html

 

[Vulcanproject]

Formula One teams are probably up there among the greatest engineering businesses in the world. Small volume manufacturing is their usual fare but their design teams and rapid prototyping technologies are world class.

This is Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains, who design and build the engine/hybrid systems for several Formula One teams including their own. It's a separate entity at a different site in that sense to the other half of the F1 team, who build the chassis and everything else.

 

[Cycloid Torus]

Brilliant! Thank you Mercedes F1.

 

[Uncle Al]

I was wondering about the CPAP as well as pure oxygen systems but if the issue also involves the lungs & nerves not consistently pulling out and expelling oxygen, the ventilator is their only hope .... unless of course you have a few dozen older "Iron Lungs" machines in the basement of the hospital ....

 

[Reehahs]

The AMG edition would allow the patient to compete in 100 metre sprints while maintaining breathing in such high performance scenarios.

 

[p51d007]

I was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea about a year ago. I've been using a CPAP ever since.
It's amazing not waking up 3-5 times a night thinking you need to "go to the bathroom" when it's
really your body saying Hey! You ain't breathing!

 

[sdms96825]

I was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea about a year ago. I've been using a CPAP ever since.
It's amazing not waking up 3-5 times a night thinking you need to "go to the bathroom" when it's
really your body saying Hey! You ain't breathing!

Same here. What a difference it makes. And, I only have to use the little nose pads.