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Italian Engineers Turn Snorkeling Masks Into Life-Saving Ventilators
While China seems to have dealt with the spread of COVID-19 within its borders, countries like Italy and the US have become the new hot spots for the coronavirus. And as the number of those infected continues to rise, so does the demand for qualified specialists and necessary equipment.
In response to this deficit, engineers at ISINNOVA have taken a genius step and teamed up with Decathlon and medical experts to convert full-face snorkeling masks into masks that can be hooked up to medical breathing machines that help those infected with the COVID-19 virus.
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Medical systems around the world are in crisis, and when there’s no medical equipment, people seek alternatives
Image credits: ISINNOVA
Engineers Cristian Fracassi and Alessandro Romaiol of ISINNOVA, an Italian engineering company, were approached by Dr. Renato Favero, former head physician at the Gardone Valtrompia Hospital, with an idea to help mitigate the current shortage of C-PAP masks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The masks are used by hospitals in sub-intensive therapy. The need for these masks spiked when COVID-19 reached Italy earlier this year. Since these masks are now in short supply, Dr. Favero suggested modifying readily-available scuba diver masks into masks that can be connected to a ventilating machine.
Italian engineers found a way to convert snorkeling masks into ventilation masks that hospitals desperately need
Image credits: Decathlon
Italian engineering company ISINNOVA collaborated with Decathlon and medical experts to create and test it
Image credits: FabFactory
It wasn’t long until Decathlon, a sporting goods retailer, was included in the project as an ideator, producer, and supplier of the Easybreath snorkeling mask. ISINNOVA quickly got a hold of the CAD designs, studied them, and made the necessary modifications, including the design and 3D printing of the Charlotte and Dave valves—the connecting part between the mask and the breathing machine tubes.
On their website, ISINNOVA wrote that the prototype was tested on one of their colleagues inside Chiari Hospital and the test was a success. The hospital itself also tested the device on a patient in need and the new modified ventilation mask passed the test with flying colors.
Blueprints were made available for free so that hospitals could make their own on demand in emergencies
Image credits: ISINNOVA
A 5-step video tutorial was also uploaded onto YouTube detailing the assembly
Image credits: Cristian Fracassi
The engineering company made all of the blueprints and instructions available online free of charge for hospitals to build and be used based on their need. While C-PAP masks start at around €100, hospitals will be able to buy the Easybreath snorkeling masks from Decathlon for €25 and 3D print the valves on their own, so it will not only make it easier to solve the mask crisis, but it will also be an inexpensive solution.
Image credits: Cristian Fracassi
There is a drawback, though, as full face masks are considered dangerous by some snorkeling experts due to the fact that there is a risk of excess carbon dioxide building up inside the mask if improper air outtake is provided. Also, despite this idea solving the issue of masks, there will still be a problem with having enough ventilators to go around.
ISINNOVA noted that the masks should be used if there is no other option as there is no certification for them
Image credits: Cristian Fracassi
ISINNOVA did note that neither the mask, nor the link valves are certified and should thus be used only on the basis of absolute necessity. According to the statement on their website, they stress that this idea is designed for healthcare facilities in cases of full-blown difficult situations where it is not possible to find official healthcare supplies.
Image credits: Cristian Fracassi
This setup is estimated to cost around €25, four times less than proper C-PAP masks
Image credits: Cristian Fracassi
Only skilled specialists should be allowed to print and assemble these masks. ISINNOVA also patented the valve to prevent any speculation on pricing. All of the instructions and needed files are provided on ISINNOVA’s website.
Image credits: Cristian Fracassi
What are your thoughts on this? Know of any other medical hacks that people have done to help the fight against COVID-19? Let us know in the comments section below!
Here is the full video explaining how the mask should be constructed
Image credits: Cristian Fracassi
Here’s how the internet reacted to this ingenious innovation
What do you think ?
bill marsano 4 years ago
This is the kind of ‘make do’ ingenuity that enabled the crippled Apollo 13 mission to return safely to Earth,and we can use more of it. There may be other full-face masks used in sports and industry that are also adaptable. Further, CPAP breathing machines might be used as ventilators in some cases. Possibly even compressors for paint sprayers.
Terri Rowland 4 years ago
Exactly what I was trying to explain above Bill, thinking about how much money is saved by doing this would lead to there being more money for research into illness like cancer and better pay for the health workers who have been doing such amazing work across the whole world, if the conditions and pay is good more people would feel like taking on this line of work.. 👍😊
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Miraculous Klutz 4 years ago
This is wonderful. While it may not be the best, it is still better than nothing. At least people are doing things!
Michael Marzullo 4 years ago
these are not ventilators. Nor are they full on c-pap machines. Yes, they can provide a little better oxygen therapy than a standard oxygen mask, but from the sound if it you run the same CO2 risks as divers were concerned about. These also cannot replace N95 masks or PAPRs. It’s a nice, feel good story about innovation during desperate times, but you should NOT be calling them ventilators or c-pap machines.
Terri Rowland 4 years ago
Agreed, do you think they could improve on the way they've adapted the mask to. maybe make it safer and better.? The making of medical equipment is in cases incredibly expensive but if it's possible to make a similar piece of equipment that works as good as the expensive ones for a fraction of the cost it's got to be worth building on..
Load More Replies... bill marsano 4 years ago
This is the kind of ‘make do’ ingenuity that enabled the crippled Apollo 13 mission to return safely to Earth,and we can use more of it. There may be other full-face masks used in sports and industry that are also adaptable. Further, CPAP breathing machines might be used as ventilators in some cases. Possibly even compressors for paint sprayers.
Terri Rowland 4 years ago
Exactly what I was trying to explain above Bill, thinking about how much money is saved by doing this would lead to there being more money for research into illness like cancer and better pay for the health workers who have been doing such amazing work across the whole world, if the conditions and pay is good more people would feel like taking on this line of work.. 👍😊
Load More Replies... Miraculous Klutz 4 years ago
This is wonderful. While it may not be the best, it is still better than nothing. At least people are doing things!
Michael Marzullo 4 years ago
these are not ventilators. Nor are they full on c-pap machines. Yes, they can provide a little better oxygen therapy than a standard oxygen mask, but from the sound if it you run the same CO2 risks as divers were concerned about. These also cannot replace N95 masks or PAPRs. It’s a nice, feel good story about innovation during desperate times, but you should NOT be calling them ventilators or c-pap machines.
Terri Rowland 4 years ago
Agreed, do you think they could improve on the way they've adapted the mask to. maybe make it safer and better.? The making of medical equipment is in cases incredibly expensive but if it's possible to make a similar piece of equipment that works as good as the expensive ones for a fraction of the cost it's got to be worth building on..
Load More Replies...
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