Not too long ago, we covered a call to arms by a few governments across the world to develop and produce ventilator devices to help with the current shortage across many countries due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Health and wearables company, Fitbit, was one of the companies that rose to the task and are announcing the fruits of their labour – the Fitbit Flow.
The Fitbit Flow builds upon the automatic resuscitator design of the MIT E-Vent Design Toolbox and complies with the specifications for Rapidly Manufactured Ventilation Systems put forth by the government of the United Kingdom. The Flow was developed in close consultation with Oregon Health & Scince University (OHSU) emergency medicine clinicians who were caring for COVID-19 patients at OHSU Hospital and the MassGeneralBrigham Center for COVID Innovation workgroup to meet the needs of medical practitioners.
The design of the Fitbit Flow builds on the standard resuscitator bags similar to the ones used by paramedics. However, the company has equipped the Flow with an array of sensors, sophisticated instruments and alarms that work together to automate compressions and regulate the flow of air into the patients lungs to help with respiration and blood oxygenation. It is also touted to be designed to be user friendly to reduce the strain on specialised staff typically needed to perform and operate other ventilators. Fitbit is also touting that the Flow is priced lower than other ventilators on the market.
“Fitbit Flow is a great example of the incredible innovation that emerges when academia and industry employ problem-based innovation to respond quickly to an important need. COVID-19 is a new illness and we still have much to learn about the progression, treatment, and potential recurrence of this disease. It’s critical that we develop solutions that can help ensure our health systems have the equipment they need now, and in the future if we do see a resurgence of COVID-19.”
David Sheridan, MD, MCR, Assistant Professor of Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Co-Director of Emergency Clinical Innovation Oregon Health & Science University
The Flow is the latest in a series of efforts and collaborations by Fitbit with academia to help advance the health industry. With the announcement of the Charge 4, the company also announced a collaboration to help increase the accuracy of sleep data to help make wearables more impactful. The company is aiming to use its facilities to help mass produce the Flow to be supplied to hospitals in dire need of ventilators.