Last week, the NSW Government announced that Ampcontrol will be one of two NSW organisations to produce life-saving emergency ventilators in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ampcontrol engineers designed and delivered the first functional emergency ventilator prototype to the John Hunter Hospital Simulation Unit for testing by specialist clinicians in just 18 days.
Production of 10 pilot ventilators will now commence undertaking further clinical assessment and testing with NSW Health, with the objective of enabling 600 ventilators to be rapidly built in the Hunter region if the need arises.
Ampcontrol Managing Director and CEO, Rod Henderson said they were proud to be leading such a critical project and use their expertise to help others during this difficult time.
“We are so immensely proud to be able to do our part and lead this critical health project in the manufacture of emergency ventilator solutions,” Rod said.
“Knowing that our ventilator could help save lives in the fight against COVID-19 is incredible.”
In collaboration with local clinicians and two Hunter-based specialist electrical engineering companies, Safearth and NewieVentures, the brainpower of over 20 engineers across multiple disciplines worked around the clock to design and produce the emergency ventilator prototype.
To quickly accelerate its knowledge of ventilator systems, the team engaged with specialist clinicians from Hunter New England Local Health District and the University of Newcastle.
Through this effort they have been able to guide solutions and minimise clinical and deployment risks, as well as coordinate with other groups working with NSW Health on other prototype ventilator solutions.
“We specialise in resources, infrastructure, and energy solutions, and what the team has achieved in partnership with clinicians in such a short timeframe is nothing short of outstanding and a testament to the engineering excellence and ingenuity in our country,” he said.
Given the emergency nature of the ventilator and its potential to be used widely, the design includes large format touch screen as the primary interface between the ventilator’s functions and operator.
The interface has been designed to be capable of displaying embedded training material to ensure the correct operation of the unit.
“We have been able to rapidly swing our world-leading expertise and production facilities into manufacturing critical emergency medical equipment right here in the Hunter.
“We have such highly advanced manufacturing capability and ingenuity in our country. It is so important that industry and Government work together so that we can continue to produce innovative solutions and products here in Australia that make a difference to people’s lives around the globe.”
Project Anemoi was inspired by the ancient Greek religion and myth: the Anemoi (Greek: Ἄνεμοι, “Winds”) who were four wind gods each ascribed a cardinal direction from which their respective winds came.
IMAGE | Ampcontrol CEO, Rod Henderson, with Project Anemoi Engineers at Ampcontrol in Cameron Park NSW
