Spiro Devices
Fast Company Innovation by Design Finalist in General Excellence and Health
In March 2020, while New York City was bracing for a catastrophic ventilator shortage due to COVID-19, Newlab, 10xBeta, and Boyce Technologies rapidly mobilized an effort to redesign, prototype and test a bridge ventilator design that had previously been developed to a preliminary stage by MIT in 2010. The effort resulted in the Spiro Wave: a low-cost automatic resuscitator that helps hospitals expand their capacity to care for patients with critical ventilation needs. In under four weeks, the group brought an idea through to a device receiving emergency use authorization by the FDA.
Throughout the process, the group coordinated directly with NYCEDC and the Mayor’s Office to respond to the oncoming public health emergency and ultimately provide New York City’s healthcare system with a stockpile of bridge ventilators.
Disclaimer: The Spiro Wave is provided for use under FDA Emergency Use Authorization during the COVID-19 public health emergency; it is not FDA cleared or approved.
In collaboration and special thanks to::
Spiro Wave Partners
10XBeta
10XBeta is a Newlab-based product development firm leading the team of engineers and designers that iterated upon MIT’s E-Vent design, working through a design-for-manufacturing process to create a solution that can be rapidly produced at scale.
Boyce Technologies
Boyce Technologies is a design-for-manufacturing firm that prepared the design for production at scale and leads production efforts at their Long Island City, Queens factory.
Otherlab
Otherlab is an independent research and design lab whose team helped to drive and coordinate much of the critical engineering processes among partners working all across the country.
NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation's mission is to encourage economic growth in each of the five boroughs of New York City. NYCEDC fuels the City's economy by strengthening its businesses, creating jobs, and helping neighborhoods thrive.
Spiro Wave Overview
Easy integration into healthcare delivery settings
Spiro Wave works with standard medical components that are readily available in most hospital settings and is designed to integrate into healthcare workers’ existing workflow.
Increased control over mechanical ventilation
Pressure sensors and alarm system allow clinicians to monitor and adjust key respiratory and ventilation parameters including:
• Tidal volume
• Respiratory rate
• I/E ratio
• Positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP)
• Airway limit pressure
• Tidal volume
• Respiratory rate
• I/E ratio
• Positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP)
• Airway limit pressure
Rapid manufacturing at scale and a fraction of the cost of traditional ventilators
Spiro Wave is designed for rapid manufacturing and uses significantly fewer parts than a traditional ventilator, streamlining the supply chain, and keeping production costs low.
Product Demo
Albert H. Kwon, M.D., demonstrates how to use the Spiro Wave device. The Spiro Wave is provided for use under FDA Emergency Use Authorization during the COVID-19 public health emergency; it is not FDA cleared or approved.