Tech giant Dyson designs ventilators to help COVID-19 patients in UK
The government ordered 10,000 of the Dyson ventilators, which meet clinician-led specifications.
There was no time to lose, and Dyson didn’t waste it.
When UK hospitals struggled to meet the need for ventilators in the fight against the coronavirus, the world-renowned technology innovator better known for vacuums and hair dryers responded dramatically and quickly. The result was CoVent, designed by Dyson and The Technology Partnership.
Ventilators are often used for coronavirus patients who are in an advanced stage of danger. The UK government ordered 10,000 of the Dyson ventilators, which meet clinician-led specifications, to be donated by the company.
Portable proficiency
“Hospitals are the frontline in the war against COVID-19, where heroic doctors, nurses, and care workers are battling to save lives and help people recover from this terrible virus,” said Dyson founder and CEO Sir James Dyson.
“As with any battle, there are many challenges to overcome, not least the availability of essential equipment which in this case means ventilators. A ventilator supports a patient who is no longer able to maintain their own airways but sadly there is currently a significant shortage, both in the UK and other countries around the world.”
He added that CoVent can be manufactured quickly, efficiently and at volume—designed to address the specific clinical needs of Covid-19 patients and at a variety of clinical settings.
The device is bed mounted and portable, operating on batteries. This enables it to be used in different care settings including field hospitals, and when patients are transported. The user interface is safe for, and familiar to use by, health care providers.
CoVent is powered by the Dyson digital motor, which has been specially re-engineered by Dyson to meet the requirements of the ventilator. The fan units are available in very high volume. It conserves oxygen using a rebreathe circuit and uses Dyson’s air purifier expertise which delivers high-quality filtration in high-volume products.
“The Dyson digital motor sits at the heart of the new device and the motor’s design is optimised to have a very high level of intrinsic safety, making it particularly well-suited for industrial, high-volume production,” Sir James Dyson said. “The device is designed to achieve a high-quality air supply to ensure its safety and effectiveness, drawing on our air purifier expertise which delivers high-quality filtration in high-volume products.”
Expanding the reach
Dyson also planned to donate 5,000 CoVent devices to help international COVID-19 patients. Twenty percent of those were to stay in the UK.
“I am proud of what Dyson engineers and our partners at TTP have achieved,” Sir James Dyson said. “This is clearly a time of grave international crisis.”
