Rice University team develops game-changing device to fight coronavirus
HOUSTON, Texas -- Each day, Dr. Matthew Wettergreen and the small team at the Rice University's Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen work to solve worldwide problems. Now, the deft unit, part of Rice's Brown School of Engineering, is heeding one of the globe's biggest calls.
With the United States, Italy, China, and indeed, most of the world in desperate need of ventilators to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, Rice's Design Kitchen has crafted an ingenious, and inexpensive, solution. The group conceived of, built, and tested a fully functioning, automated bag valve mask - or, a BVM - in less than two weeks. The Design Kitchen's product can be built for around $300; the team plans to release design blueprints free of charge for use around the world.
The Design Kitchen, which is made up of faculty and students, is teaming up with Canadian global health design firm, Metric Technologies, to finalize a prototype by the end of the month.
