AAU EMERGENCY VENTILATOR READY FOR THE WORLD

AAU EMERGENCY VENTILATOR READY FOR THE WORLD

A research group at Aalborg University (AAU) developed an emergency ventilator and is now sharing the 'recipe' with the world.

The fear in Denmark and the rest of the world is that there are not enough ventilators that are so crucial to saving those most seriously ill from the coronavirus. The Respiratory and Critical Care Group (RCare) at Aalborg University (AAU), in conjunction with several industrial partners, has been working at full speed over the past few weeks to develop an emergency ventilator to alleviate the severe shortage of ventilators during the corona pandemic. The result is now ready to share in Denmark and the rest of the world.

'RECIPE' SHARED WITH THE WORLD

The researchers are putting all the specifications for the ventilator out on the web making them available for free to anyone in the world who wants to produce it. The advantages of this emergency ventilator are that it can be produced from industrial components that are available virtually everywhere. It is relatively simple and inexpensive to produce; it has the same necessary functions as a traditional ventilator, but is not as complex or high-tech in terms of production and use.

Support for the research, which has now resulted in a concrete, demonstrable solution, includes funding from the Ministry of Higher Education and Science.

- This is a good example of how research can make a tangible and rapid difference in the fight against coronavirus – and with knowledge that can benefit the entire world. I am very impressed by the speed with which the research group achieved results that can benefit patient care and help us make the best use of healthcare system resources. And I am pleased and proud that we have some of the world's leading researchers here at home who are fully invested in providing knowledge and finding solutions that can help us all, says Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen, Minister for Higher Education and Science.

Per Michael Johansen, Rector of AAU agrees:

- First and foremost, an enormous thank you to the researchers who worked almost continuously in recent weeks to find a solution that can ultimately save lives. Their efforts deserve serious recognition. With their emergency ventilator, they are an outstanding example of AAU at our best. The Aalborg Model does so much more than conducting research and providing education. It creates insight, generates solutions and advances development, he says.

The specifications and information on the emergency ventilator are available on this website https://github.com/CoRescue, and the Confederation of Danish Industry and its sister organisations around the world are spreading the good news.

Support for the project comes from the Ministry of Higher Education and Science and the Poul Due Jensen Foundation, enabling AAU to manufacture 25-30 emergency ventilators that are available to the Danish authorities if needed. The Danish Medicines Agency reacted quickly to waive the CE marking; the waiver only applies to use of the ventilator in Denmark.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

  • Press contact, AAU: Lone Bechmann, Strategic Advisor, Faculty of Medicine, AAU, Mobile: +45 22 19 12 53, Email: lbec@adm.aau.dk
  • Press contact, Ministry of Higher Education and Science: Rasmus Baad, Press Consultant, Direct phone: +45 72 31 80 73, Email: rasb@ufm.dk