Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile: They begin donation of mechanical ventilators made in UC to face peak of Covid-19 cases
Chilean solution clinically validated last year, went from being used as an emergency technology in patients, to performing ventilatory services in a complete way.
The “VEMERS UC” ventilator works connected to an industrial computer, which has a touch screen and a program that allows remote monitoring of its entire operation. Delivers real-time pressure, flow and volume graphs. It also displays alert messages for any incident, as well as values that medical personnel define to monitor patients.
The Catholic University began a process of donating 20 complete mechanical ventilators to the Metropolitano Sur-Oriente, Coquimbo, Maule, Ñuble and Concepción health centers , to help face the second peak of covid-19 cases.
It is the fast and safe emergency invasive mechanical ventilator ( VEMERS UC ) developed and produced in Mechanical and Metallurgical Engineering UC , thanks to the financing of Corfo and Sofofa Hub . This within the framework of the “Un Breathing for Chile” initiative , promoted in conjunction with the Ministry of Science and the IDB .
“The technological solution clinically validated in August 2020 , began to have performance as a complete mechanical ventilator. This means that it will no longer only be used in patients as an emergency kit, ” said Luciano Chiang , project director and UC Engineering academic.
Chiang also highlighted the collaborative process in the development of this local technology, because it allows universities to deliver an effective and concrete response to the increase in Covid-19 cases facing the country.
“Thanks to the public-private support received last year and the internal institutional support, today we have the capabilities to develop complete fans at a much lower cost, because the equipment is designed with a concept of manufacturing by assembly of reliable and easier parts. to find in the trade, ” added Luciano Chiang.
The engineer pointed out that the cost of the UC solution represents up to one tenth of a high-end fan, which makes it possible to obtain an economically viable technology for developing countries.
VEMERS works connected to an industrial computer, which has a touch screen and a program that allows remote monitoring of all its operation, to know how the patient is responding.
The device’s computer system delivers real-time pressure, flow and volume graphs. It also displays alert messages for any incident , as well as values that medical personnel define to monitor patients.
A team of highly qualified professionals participated in this last phase of development, including engineers Felipe Castro, Tomás Sánchez and Braulio Sepúlveda.
The technological solution supported by Corfo’s Engineering 2030 program and the UC Engineering Industry Linkage Office is part of the interdisciplinary work table promoted by the UC Vice-Rector’s Office for Research, in conjunction with Medicine, the Center for Innovation and other university faculties to face the pandemic ( covid19.ing.puc.cl )