Mercedes F1 team along with University College London Hospitals prepared a NHS-approved breathing aid for patients of COVID-19.
The work done by Mercedes and UCLH forms under the ‘Project Pitlane’, where seven F1 teams based in Britain have pledged to help NHS to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Other outfits include Red Bull Racing, Racing Point, Renault, Haas, Williams and McLaren.
The Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) was already in use but the supply was less wherein Mercedes and engineers/clinical of UCL and UCLH joined in to help. The device helps to delivers oxygen to the lungs without needing a ventilator.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) already gave its approval for its use and forty of the new devices has been delivered to four hospitals. Once the trial is successful, Mercedes-AMG-HPP can produce up to 1000 in a day.
Andy Cowell, Managing Director of Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains, said: “The Formula One community has shown an impressive response to the call for support…we have been proud to put our resources at the service of UCL to deliver the CPAP project to the highest standards and in the fastest possible timeframe.”
Professor Tim Baker (UCL Mechanical Engineering) said: “Given the urgent need, we are thankful that we were able to reduce a process that could take years down to a matter of days. From being given the brief, we worked all hours of the day, disassembling and analysing an off-patent device.
“Using computer simulations, we improved the device further to create a state-of-the-art version suited to mass production. We were privileged to be able to call on the capability of Formula One – a collaboration made possible by the close links between UCL Mechanical Engineering and HPP.”
The UK Government released guidelines regarding the same: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/specification-for-rapidly-manufactured-cpap-system-to-be-used-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak
Here’s details of Project Pitlane of F1 teams
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Here’s news on Ferrari helping Italian officials