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Cincinnati-Designed Ventilators On Their Way To Brazil And Beyond

Venti-Now President John Molander with the company's ventilator design that is being manufactured beginning the week of July 6.
Courtesy of Venti-Now
Venti-Now President John Molander with the company's ventilator design that is being manufactured beginning the week of July 6.

Brazil, the second worst country in the world for COVID-19 cases, is getting some help from Cincinnati. The new non-profit Venti-Now will send ventilators there for free that it designed, built and tested in just three weeks. Tanzania is also on the list to get them.

Beginning the week of July 6, Blue Ash's PMC Smart Solutionswill begin manufacturing the devices at its Indiana plant.

Venti-Now was started by a group of retired P&G scientists who were looking for a scaleable design to send to countries in need. John Molander and Art Koehler teamed up with scientists from the University of Cincinnati and the Los Alamos National Laboratory. They also included doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, attorneys and FDA experts.

The non-profit was looking for a way to make a safe, effective and affordable ventilator. Koehler told doctors in Tanzania, "If you can maintain a carburetor on a 1960's automobile, then you can maintain this product."

Here's how it works:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws3GI-HIrYk

It uses a pneumatic cylinder to automatically fill a football-shaped bag, getting air to the patient, who is wearing a mask. Think: thebag, valve, mask concept used to transport patients but with automation.

Procter & Gamble and other companies and organizations are helping fund the effort. 

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With more than 30 years of journalism experience in the Greater Cincinnati market, Ann Thompson brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her reporting. She has reported for WKRC, WCKY, WHIO-TV, Metro Networks and CBS/ABC Radio. Her work has been recognized by the Associated Press and the Society of Professional Journalists. In 2019 and 2011 A-P named her “Best Reporter” for large market radio in Ohio. She has won awards from the Association of Women in Communications and the Alliance for Women in Media. Ann reports regularly on science and technology in Focus on Technology.