Public private cooperation yield 3D printed ventilator extender
Prisma Health is a company that, based on an idea from an ER doctor, created a simple three way valve that enables one ventilator to serve four patients. The device can be quickly created with a 3D printer and was approved for use under an FDA Emergency Use Authorization rule. TechCrunch
dis-rup-shun: It is exciting to see innovation, flexibility and generosity abound, as great ideas are being rushed to the field while, at the same time, acts of generosity are always growing. The pandemic will ultimately good for healthcare as new innovations including telehealth and telecare, technology concepts that have been ready for prime time for several years, but blocked by the healthcare establishment, are now being implemented.
British vacuum makers Dyson and GTech to the rescue
Two well-known British vacuum cleaner companies, Dyson and GTech have quickly switched production from household appliances to ventilators, using inexpensive and quick to produce parts. TechCrunch
dis-rup-shun: If you have seen the movie Apollo 13, you will recall when a group of engineers were placed in a conference room with a bag full of objects that the astronauts had available in their capsule. They were given about 24 hours to construct a lifesaving solution. The good people at the vacuum companies have tackled a similar challenge.
Ford manufacturing face shields based on open source design
Lennon Rodgers, director of the Engineering Design Innovation Lab at University of Wisconsin-Madison, answered the call from a local hospital, requesting that the lab create face shields, as the hospital could not get adequate supply. Rodgers, with the help of local designers and his M.D. wife, developed a prototype and posted it on the web as an open source design. Ford, along with other companies, used the design to fabricate what it expects will be 75,000 units this week. Wired
dis-rup-shun: Speed and agility. Two things critical to slow the global pandemic. Thanks to the instantaneous and global availability of information via the Internet, many parties can react quickly and take action. As soon as a Coronavirus vaccine is developed, it must be an open source solution that drug manufacturers worldwide can produce rapidly.
Slack announces integration with Teams
In an interesting move, Slack has announced interoperability with Microsoft Teams. In the wake of coronavirus, Microsoft has revealed that some 44 million people are using the product daily. Microsoft is bundling the product in its Office suite, making it a tough competitor for Slack. CNBC
dis-rup-shun: Slack was there first, but just like Netscape, will discover that Microsoft’s installed base receiving Teams will likely bury a standalone utility product. Slack’s move to inter connect with Teams is a good one, and may keep Slack fans from having to follow IT departments that mandate corporate use of Teams in the future, but the execs at Slack won’t be sleeping well for the foreseeable future.