# NASA's JPL Engineers Create COVID-19 Ventilator in Record Time
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Chapter 1: The COVID-19 Ventilator Crisis
The global outbreak of the coronavirus has created a significant shortage of ventilators in hospitals, prompting various companies, including Tesla, to design new, easily manufactured models. In this urgent context, the engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) have managed to devise their own ventilator design in an impressive span of just 37 days.
Patients afflicted by COVID-19 can face severe respiratory issues due to the virus's impact on the lungs. While only a small fraction of these patients require hospitalization and mechanical ventilation, the overwhelming demand during the pandemic has led to critical shortages. Without access to ventilators, patients suffering from severe COVID-19 can succumb to oxygen deprivation.
Section 1.1: Engineering Expertise Applied
JPL engineers, known for their work in spacecraft design, have successfully transferred their engineering skills to address this new challenge. With a strong emphasis on rapid prototyping, rigorous testing, and precise engineering—skills honed through missions to the moon and Mars—the team approached the task of creating a ventilator with great enthusiasm.
Subsection 1.1.1: Introducing VITAL
The ventilator developed by JPL is named VITAL (Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally). This innovative design is intended to be more cost-effective and simpler to manufacture compared to the standard ventilators currently utilized in U.S. hospitals. VITAL features fewer components, most of which can be sourced from existing supply chains. Additionally, it is designed with adaptability in mind—hospitals can modify the device in real-time, a flexibility not typically found in commercial ventilators.
Section 1.2: Focus on Short-Term Solutions
While JPL prioritized rapid deployment and effectiveness, longevity was not the primary concern. The engineering team estimates that VITAL can operate almost continuously for a duration of three to four months before requiring repairs. In contrast, conventional ventilators from medical device manufacturers can function for several years and are designed to accommodate various patient conditions. VITAL, however, is specifically tailored for short-term respiratory support for COVID-19 patients.
Chapter 2: Progress and Future Prospects
JPL's engineers dedicated countless hours to bringing VITAL to fruition, and the device has already passed its initial test. On April 21, VITAL was successfully evaluated at the Icahn School of Medicine using a human patient simulator. The next step involves obtaining Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the FDA to commence production. JPL anticipates that VITAL will be mass-produced to help alleviate the ongoing shortage of ventilators both in the United States and globally.
For more insights on the efforts to combat COVID-19, check out related articles on how tech companies, including Nvidia, are utilizing AI and supercomputing in this fight.