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F1: British teams help produce respirators 0:32
(CNN Business) - Mercedes, the maker of Formula One engines, partnered with doctors and university engineers in London to design a respiratory aid for patients with coronavirus that can be mass-produced quickly; development could help reduce the need for fans.
The Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device, which was redesigned from an existing machine in less than 100 hours, has been recommended for use by the Regulatory Agency for Medicines and Health Products from the United Kingdom, according to a statement from University College London (UCL), which worked on the project.
CPAP devices have been used in hospitals in China and Italy to treat coronavirus infections, and reports indicate that about half of those patients have avoided the need for ventilators, according to the statement. There is a severe shortage of fans in many countries, including Britain, which are struggling with severe outbreaks.
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This is the new CPAP device.
"These devices will help save lives by ensuring that ventilators, a limited resource, are used only for the most seriously ill people," said Professor Mervyn Singer, a critical care consultant at University College London Hospitals (UCLH).
CPAP machines help keep patients' airways open and increase the amount of oxygen that enters the lungs by pushing air and oxygen into the mouth and nose at a continuous rate. According to the statement, 100 of the newly designed machines will be used in clinical trials at UCLH, with "rapid deployment in hospitals across the country before the expected increase in hospital admissions for covid-19."
UCL professor Tim Baker said a process that can take years had been reduced to a matter of days, explaining that the team had worked "full time" to disassemble and analyze an existing device before using computer simulations to "create a state of-the art version suitable for mass production. "
After clinical trials, Mercedes and other F1 teams could produce up to 1,000 of the devices per day.
Some experts have expressed concern that the use of CPAP machines may put hospital workers at risk by creating a mist of drops containing the virus. But Britain's National Health Service recommended that the devices be used to treat patients with coronavirus, saying the risk of infection is low as long as staff wear personal protective equipment.
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Andy Cowell, managing director of Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains, said he was proud that the F1 engine maker was able to participate and help deliver the device in the "fastest time frame possible."
Lewis Hamilton won his sixth F1 world title in 2019 driving a Mercedes car. The start of this year's season has been postponed until at least June due to the pandemic.
The fan production career
Separately, a consortium of companies including Airbus, Ford and BAE Systems and various F1 teams said on Monday that it received orders from the British government to produce more than 10,000 fans.
The consortium said it would start production this week, and that it expects to receive prompt regulatory approval after a final audit. F1 teams working on the project include McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull Racing, Renault Sport Racing and Williams.
Last week, vacuum cleaner maker Dyson said it had designed a new ventilator to treat patients with coronavirus. He plans to manufacture 10,000 of the devices for the UK government and donate 5,000 for the global effort.
coronavirus
