Comment by barbegal | Hacker News Reader

Comment by barbegal | Hacker News Reader

I disagree with his opening statement: "Formula 1 teams have been able to design, prototype and manufacture essential health equipment incredibly quickly"

As far as I can see they have done none of these things and are only helping in providing manufacturing capability [1]. The ventilator they are helping to manufacture is an iteration on a previous design made by a medical specialist Penlon [2].

Not that there is anything bad with that strategy: experts in a given field are the experts so best to use the medical expertise of one company and the rapid batch production capabilities of companies like Formula 1 teams. Racing teams often have to turn components around for an update at the next grand prix e.g. 1 - 2 weeks. This means having processes and suppliers that can operate at that fast pace.

[1] https://www.inceptivemind.com/penlon-prima-eso2-newly-adapte... [2] https://www.penlon.com/

Thanks for this context. Here's the statement on McLaren's website: https://www.mclaren.com/group/news/articles/ventilatorchalle....

It seems consistent with what you're saying. There's some broad consortium of companies, but there are already designs approved by regulators and they're more or less providing manufacturing capacity to make more of them as fast as possible.

This story supports that opening statement:

"The [University of Southampton & NIHR] researchers worked alongside F1 team McLaren and industry experts including INDO and Kemp Sails to come up with the design, which is now available as open-source to be manufactured around the world.

https://www.itv.com/news/2020-04-23/hospital-first-to-widely...

In this case, a prototype (which is probably worse than existing PAPRs [powered air-purifying respirators]) is demonstrated. It certainly hasn't been manufactured and the Formula 1 team involvement looks to be just of the design of a few components for 3D printing [1].

[1] https://engrxiv.org/rvcs3/

I'm completely ashamed by the level of b.s. and failure exhibited by Western companies during the corona crisis.

We'd be better off if they just admitted the failure so we can move on to the next step, rather than be distracted by utter b.s.

The reality is even if some science-project ventilator was made, no hospital would approve its use. But we knew that in advance, before the b.s. even started.

And we've known since Jan. that ventilators kill their patiences 66% to 90% or more often.

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