NASA developed the ventilator, dubbed the Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally, as part of its NASA@Work initiative. The program encouraged NASA employees to submit prospective projects in support of COVID-19 medical responses.
VITAL uses one-seventh of the parts of a traditional ventilator and relies on parts already available in supply chains. The FDA on April 30 granted emergency use authorization of the device, which is designed to last for three to four months and provide respiratory support for patients with respiratory failure or insufficiency. VITAL was tested at New York City-based Mount Sinai Health System.
The U.S. companies NASA selected for licenses to make VITAL are:
- Vacumed
- Stark Industries
- MVent
- iButtonLink
- Evo Design
- DesignPlex Biomedical
- Atron Group
- Pro-Dex
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