Deadline Approaching for Rapid Code Life Ventilator Challenge

Deadline Approaching for Rapid Code Life Ventilator Challenge

The Montreal General Hospital Foundation, in collaboration with the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), have together launched a global competition to support teams that design a simple, low-cost, easy-to-manufacture and easy-to-maintain ventilator that could be deployed anywhere during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the prevalence of rapid manufacturing tools and low-cost computers provide the means to manufacture life-saving ventilators, there is a need to produce a design that is simple enough to mass-produce on a cost and time-effective scale. The competition is designed to meet this need, and teams from all over the world are invited to submit designs that are easy to build locally and easy to test.

Final submissions will be tested in the Clinical Innovation Platform at the Montreal General Hospital. The top three designs submitted will be available for free download to anyone who needs them immediately.

The competition is open to everyone worldwide, including private companies. Teams must include at least one relevant medical professional with publicised credentials and one relevant technical/engineering professional with credentials to approve safety requirements. Each team member must provide a short resume of qualifications relevant to the design (eg engineering degree, industry experience, other relevant experience). Designs must meet the design requirements specified here.

Aspiring team members are encouraged to reach out to teams that are already signed-up and looking to recruit members to complement their skills. These candidates should consult the Teams tab on the Agorize website.

A total of CAD $200,000 is available for the winning designs. Once the designs have gone live, the number of verified implementations and feedback on the designs will be tracked, and the most impactful design will be identified as the winner, the second as second prize, and so on. Costs of design and prototyping are to be covered by the contestants.

Interested applicants should register and sign in to Agorize.com to submit their application by the 31 March 2020 deadline. Fully functioning prototypes need to be finished by this deadline.

Submitted designs will be endorsed on 15 April following validation by a panel of experts. The designs will then be available for download.

More information about this research funding opportunity and the application process is available on the RESEARCHconnect funding information platform. RESEARCHconnect provides up-to-the minute content, insight and analysis on research funding news and policy. To find out more about how RESEARCHconnect can keep you in the know, and subscription fees, contact us today.