Also offers plans free through open-source to all Manufacturers
Some companies take their responsibility to help other more seriously than others and JMA, based in Syracuse NY is one of those companies. Not content to sit still and just wait out this crisis, JMA has launched into helping with the effort to make ventilators and has formed PREVAIL NY, an LLC dedicated to the design and manufacturing of mechanical ventilation systems. They have even offered the plans for the device as a free, open source design for anyone who wishes to help too. Normally a manufacturer of 4G and 5G wireless solutions delivering software driven solutions for customers of all kinds.
“Two weeks ago we heard the plea around the world for more ventilators,” said Dave Jackson, president of transmission line systems at JMA. “We sat down to determine what we could do to help with our engineering talent and manufacturing capabilities. In only a week and a half, the team developed a manufacturable design that we call ‘PREVAIL NY.’”
So how did a leader in the wireless technology systems market get into the medical field? They led a joint effort that included a, Dr. John Callahan and created a system that was able to restore lung function in patients with syndrome damaged lungs.
“The team is ready to jump-start manufacturing here in New York state, and devices can also be built at our facility in Bologna, Italy, for their local needs,” said John Mezzalingua, CEO and founder of JMA, which formed PREVAIL NY LLC.
“This emergency ventilation system takes advantage of existing medical equipment and marries it to a unique mechanical apparatus,” said Dr. Callahan. “I am excited about its familiarity to physicians around the world and that it has many of the same technical components that are common to existing ventilators. I am amazed by its creation in only 10 days.”
PREVAIL NY is designed to augment the existing ventilator supply in the short term when no other traditional ventilators are available due to ventilator shortages.
These units are meant to be rapidly manufactured using readily available parts such as motors, controllers and standard sheet metal. The approximate cost to produce is approximately $500. It uses an FDA-approved manual resuscitator kit known as an Ambu® bag, which most hospitals have in quantity. The system supports the low tidal volume ventilation strategy for acute respiratory distress syndrome, as used in patients with COVID-19. This device provides control of three key ventilation functions: respiratory rate (breaths per minute), tidal volume (how much air is delivered) and inspiratory/expiratory (inhale to exhale) ratio. It also is compatible with components that retain humidification and offer HEPA filtration.
PREVAIL NY is an acronym for Pandemic Response Emergency Ventilation Assembled In Liverpool, New York. They have submitted an initial application to the FDA for emergency use authorization (EUA)
