Ventilator Challenge announces three finalists

MONTREAL – The Montreal General Hospital Foundation and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre have announced the three finalist teams for the Code Life Ventilator Challenge. Launched on March 19th, this two-week sprint to design a low-cost, simple, easy-to-use and easy-to-build ventilator that can serve patients suffering from COVID-19, received more than 2,600 registrations, representing over 1,000 teams from 94 countries.

The three finalists are:

• Haply: Behind this prototype is a robotics company, Haply, based in Montreal, Canada. In order to design this ventilator, the team collaborated with physicists and engineers from Montreal, London (Ontario), and Kingwood (Texas).
• IFPR Brazil: Designed by a team from Paraná, Brazil, the IFPR ventilator uses modern engineering techniques and sophisticated mechanical and electronic components.
• Lung Carburetor: Created by a team of experienced medical device designers from Montreal and Havre-Saint-Pierre, Canada, the Lung Carburetor is a low-cost, portable ventilator that can be manufactured locally.

All selected projects are now available for public viewing on the Code Life Ventilator Challenge website www.codelifechallenge.com.

The three finalists will receive $200,000, $100,000 and $50,000 CAD in compensation for their design and for sharing it with the world in the fight against COVID-19. The level of compensation will be determined by the extent to which the individual designs are used and produced in the next six months (i.e., by Oct. 1st). The finalist designs and preliminary manufacturing packages will soon be available to qualified manufacturers around the world at no cost, so that the maximal number of ventilators can be produced to help care for COVID-19 patients that need mechanical ventilation.

The evaluation committee members were unanimously impressed with the submissions and thanked all participants for their dedication to the cause. “It is truly inspiring to see how these teams have been able to achieve so much in so little time and under so many constraints, including operating under COVID protocols and remotely engaging with team members,” remarked Dr. Reza Farivar (pictured), leader of the Code Life Ventilator Challenge.

Of all the ventilator designs received, nine semi-finalists were selected as the most promising. Over the past three weeks, the semi-finalist teams submitted prototypes that were intensely tested, and then refined prior to a second round of testing and evaluation by critical care physicians, respiratory therapists, mechanical engineers and medical device experts to ensure compliance of the design with the specifications and the vision of the Challenge.

Following the tests, three finalist prototypes were chosen based on the extensive deliberation of the expert judges that took into consideration the full design, test results, user experience, manufacturability, and cost.

We would like to thank the Challenge Gold Sponsors: MD Financial Management, the Canadian Medical Association, and Scotiabank; the Silver Sponsor: McGill University’s Faculty of Engineering; and our Bronze sponsor, Agorize, who hosted the challenge on their platform.

“We are pleased to support this important initiative, in partnership with the CMA and MD Financial Management,” says Glen Gowland, group head, Global Wealth Management, Scotiabank. “We look forward to seeing the impact these winning designs will make on alleviating the strain on the healthcare system in Canada and globally.”

About the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre
The mission of the RI-MUHC is to generate and leverage discovery and innovation to establish the MUHC as a world-class centre of excellence in patient-centred medicine. For more information, visit rimuhc.ca.

About the Montreal General Hospital Foundation
Since 1973, the Montreal General Hospital Foundation (MGHF) plays a key role within the Montreal General Hospital (MGH) and the McGill University Health Centre as a proud sponsor of significant medical R&D and technology development and acquisition. For more information, visit Codelife.ca.

About Scotiabank, MD Financial Management and the Canadian Medical Association
Scotiabank, MD Financial Management and the Canadian Medical Association together are committed to supporting the medical profession and advancing health in Canada. As proof of this commitment, and in collaboration with the CMA and MD, Scotiabank is investing $115 million over 10 years to support physicians and the communities they serve across Canada.