What if simple diving masks could save lives? The idea comes from Italy or rather from the mind of a former head doctor of a hospital in northern Italy, Renato Favero, says the Corriere della sera , relayed by Courrier international. Renato Favero's project seems simple: to make an emergency breathing mask by adapting a diving mask.
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As the Italian newspaper reports, the former doctor contacted the company Isinnova in order to concretize his idea. The latter accepted the challenge and embarked on the manufacture of a prototype.
" We analyzed the doctor's proposal and concluded that the Easybreath mask from Decathlon was the one that best suited our requirements. Decathlon replied that they had tens of thousands in store. Then we 3D printed the necessary connections between the mask and the standard hospital tubes , ”says an engineer from the company, Alessando Romaioli, at Corriere della sera. Isinnova is developing valves that can connect diving masks to tubes used in hospitals.
The prototype has also been successfully tested in an Italian hospital. The civil protection of Brescia (in the north of Italy), ordered 500 masks in order to reproduce the process. " We provide the fittings for free, " adds Alessando Romaioli. The company has also made available a video containing the user manual, so that everyone can transform these masks once they have the right equipment.
Please note, however, that this is a product modified by hand and not "certified", specifies the company on its website. Its use is therefore " subject to a situation of imperative need ". Patients must therefore sign a written declaration in order to be equipped with it. The company patented its invention to avoid speculation, but promises that the patent " will remain free to use ".
