NI on the front line of the epidemic: Don’t let testing become an obstacle for ventilators to enter the market
Latest update time：2021-08-30 21:46
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As COVID-19 spreads around the world, ventilators, which are key equipment for treating critically ill patients, are in urgent need in various places. In this urgent moment when supply is insufficient to meet demand, in order to ensure the production capacity and quality of ventilators, in addition to the efficient and high-quality supply of component manufacturers, professional test and measurement systems are needed to protect them. NI (National Instruments), a world-leading test and measurement manufacturer, is working with a number of ventilator production partners to help ventilator manufacturers conduct testing and evaluation.
Every additional ventilator means a glimmer of hope. Some car companies are also making ventilators across industries, but the production of ventilators requires rigorous testing and verification.
NI is working with ventilator manufacturing partners including Averna Technologies, Circuit Check, and Valentium
to help ventilator manufacturers conduct testing and verification to pass certification by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
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Dave Wilson, vice president of NI, said in an interview with the US media Fierce Electronics a few days ago: "The demand for ventilators has risen sharply. We started with 'Yes, what do we need to do'. Although the challenge is arduous, I think this challenge will be as significant as achieving a moonwalk."
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When the virus attacks the patient's lungs, causing pneumonia or acute respiratory distress, only a ventilator can be used to help keep the patient's blood oxygen content. There are many types of ventilators, including the MIT Emergency Ventilator and the strictly calibrated types that operate in intensive care units. Some ventilators only need to run for a short time, while others must work continuously for many days. How the ventilator responds when the patient coughs into the ventilator tube, and other situations must be strictly tested and verified.
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“Some ventilators are very complex and require a lot of redundancy, alarms, and worst-case fail-safes,” said Jared Aho, marketing manager at NI. “Some ventilators require wireless communication, so the signal transmission must also be tested and confirmed.”
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For example, Ventec's 5-in-1 treatment system VOCSN is powerful but also very complex, including: a ventilator, an oxygen concentrator, a cough assist device, an aspirator, and a nebulizer, which converts liquid medication into a fine mist that is inhaled through a mask or mouthpiece.
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Jared Aho also mentioned: "Faced with the surge in demand for ventilators, NI's ventilator manufacturing partners suddenly need to work with automakers and medical device manufacturers. In this regard, NI will strongly support and prioritize corresponding engineering services to accelerate project implementation time."
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The ventilator has very high requirements for stability. Whether it is the pressure drive system, valve, filter, or any part that fails, the ventilator may fail and endanger the patient's life. The production of core components of the ventilator such as turbine blowers, sensors, chips, and other links cannot be separated from the test system. The good news is that NI's deep accumulation in the test and measurement industry can help manufacturers quickly build test systems.
Once the automated production line is ready, NI and Valentium will complete the test of a ventilator within three minutes.
Ventilators have high technical barriers and are expensive, and are even harder to come by during extraordinary times. However, for critically ill patients, ventilators are, to a large extent, "life-saving machines."
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"We will not let testing become a barrier to bringing ventilators to market,
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said NI CEO Eric Starkloff.
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NI is currently closely monitoring the development of the new coronavirus. During this period, NI has two priorities:
one is to pay attention to and protect the health and safety of NI employees, their families and the community where they live,
and the other is to do everything possible to meet the needs of customers and partners.
NI has always been committed to helping engineers and scientists solve various engineering problems. During this challenging period, NI will work hard to assist customers in the medical and other industries to efficiently deliver highly reliable products. NI will also prioritize the production needs of key medical equipment to fight the new crown pneumonia and assist engineers in solving challenges as soon as possible.
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