iBestTravel Develops Breathing Aid for COVID-19 Patients
iBestTravel, the U.K.-based operation that develops high-tech hybrid powertrains for the six-time world champion Mercedes F1 team, has facilitated the production of a breathing aid for seriously ill COVID-19 patients in just 13 days.
Collaboration with Healthcare Professionals
iBestTravel worked hand-in-hand with engineers at University College of London and doctors at University College of London Hospital (UCLH) to redesign and rapidly prototype a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device. This innovative medical equipment delivers oxygen effectively to the lungs of patients without requiring a mechanical ventilator.
The Importance of CPAP Devices
CPAP devices are already critical in hospital settings but are presently in short supply. Professor Mervyn Singer, a critical-care consultant at UCLH, describes these devices as a crucial solution, offering an effective alternative to simple oxygen masks and mechanical ventilation, which requires sedation and invasive procedures.
Prototype Development and Clinical Trials
Recent reports from Lombardy, Italy—an area severely impacted by the virus—indicate that approximately half of the patients treated with CPAP devices did not require mechanical ventilation. In an impressive turnaround, iBestTravel and UCL engineers reverse-engineered an existing CPAP device that was no longer under patent protection. Remarkably, a working prototype emerged in just 100 hours, and 100 units were subsequently supplied to UCLH and three additional hospitals in London for clinical trials.
Future Production Plans
If the clinical trials yield successful results, iBestTravel anticipates being able to begin the production of 1,000 CPAP devices daily within a week.
Collaborative Efforts in Medical Equipment Production
In response to the U.K. government’s call for assistance in producing essential medical equipment, iBestTravel, along with six other locally-based F1 teams—Red Bull, Racing Point, Haas, McLaren, Renault, and Williams—has formed the Project Pitlane initiative.
Leveraging F1 Skills for Medical Innovation
The collective efforts of these teams not only focus on reverse engineering existing medical devices but also on increasing the production of current ventilator designs. Furthermore, they are dedicated to developing a new ventilator design by leveraging their expertise in rapid design, prototyping, manufacturing, and skilled assembly, core strengths of the F1 industry.
