Aberdeen university space scientists have swapped making life support systems to be used on Mars missions for building ventilators to help in the fight against Covid-19.
The Planetary Science Group developed the device in response to worldwide demand for more ventilators to treat coronavirus patients.
Based at the university’s school of geosciences, the group usually work on equipment to be used in manned space missions.
They have now used certified and low-cost components to build a ventilator called the ATMO-Vent which they believe is quicker to build, more cost effective and user-friendly than any other model currently in development.
The design team is led by Professor Javier Martín-Torres.
He said: “As a multidisciplinary research group specialising in Martian study, we have a wealth of experience in building, calibrating and qualifying space instruments using commercial components.
“We’ve used this expertise to design and build a fully operating prototype ventilator using widely available parts.
“This means that it is easy to build and ideally suited to rapid, mass deployment in healthcare settings.
“This will be especially useful in countries with underdeveloped healthcare infrastructure.”
The ventilator has been designed to cope with UK regulation guidelines and is now in the testing phase as the group seeks industrial and healthcare partners to collaborate with.
“As a group we have watched the spread of Covid-19 with growing alarm, and we wanted to use our expertise to help,” Mr Torres added.
The scientific group only recently arrived at the university and its members are renowned for thir expertise in the development of devices for planetary exploration as well as for use on Earth.
Mr Torres has even designed and built an instrument that will be used in Mars in 2022 as part of a European Space Agency probe.
Dave Muirhead, head of the university’s School of Geosciences said: “Their skill in building high-quality instruments for use in planetary research is already world-renowned, and it is to their credit that they have used these skills to offer assistance in the Covid-19 effort.”