The Ventibag ventilation system is a solution that could work to revolutionize the healthcare industry by harvesting oxygen from the ambient environment rather than require dedicate air tanks or a centralized system. The system works by harnessing the technology used by airliners and consists of a porous mineral called zeolite that is used to absorb nitrogen from pressurized atmospheric air. The nitrogen is then pushed out of the system to leave behind compressed gas that's up to 96% oxygen.
The Ventibag ventilation system was designed by researchers Dr. Adnan Qamar and Ahad Syed of the Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).
Qamar spoke on the system saying, "We conceived this device to address a critical need in the pandemic challenge, which is the shortage of medical beds and overcrowding of hospitals. We asked, 'Why should patients suffering from COVID-19 or lung diseases be in a crowded facility at all?' We envisioned a portable device that could provide quality care, but from the convenience of a patient's home."
Oxygen-Harvesting Ventilators
The Ventibag Ventilation System Captures Oxygen from the Air
Trend Themes
1. Oxygen-harvesting Technologies - The development of oxygen-harvesting technologies like the Ventibag could revolutionize the healthcare and emergency response industries by eliminating the need for cumbersome oxygen tanks.
2. Portable Medical Equipment - The Ventibag and similar devices have the potential to allow patients to receive quality medical care in the comfort of their own homes, disrupting the traditional hospital-centric model of healthcare delivery.
3. Sustainable Healthcare Solutions - Oxygen-harvesting technologies hold promise for reducing the healthcare industry’s carbon footprint, making it an emerging trend for medical device and environmental industries.
Industry Implications
1. Medical Device Manufacturing - Oxygen-harvesting systems like the Ventibag have the potential to disrupt the medical device manufacturing industry, as companies seek to develop portable and sustainable medical equipment.
2. Emergency Response Services - Oxygen-harvesting technologies could potentially revolutionize the emergency response industry by allowing first responders to provide on-site oxygen for patients in critical condition.
3. Environmental Technology - Oxygen-harvesting technologies represent a new area of development for the environmental technology industry, with the potential to create sustainable solutions for the healthcare industry's oxygen needs.