SST Sensing is proud to be a part of the UK industry-wide effort to manufacture and deliver breathing aids for the NHS to support the UK’s fight against COVID-19.
SST are supporting Oxford Optronix with the oxygen sensor for the Flo-Ox™ oxygen monitor, a system developed in collaboration with industry and academia in just 5 days.
The CPAP breathing aid (Ventura) and accompanying oxygen monitor (Flo-Ox™) have been developed between industry, universities and the NHS, namely Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP), UCL, UCLH and Oxford Optronix.
Technical Director Paddy Shannon. “Our involvement in this project began early on the morning of Monday 23rd March with a call from Oxford Optronix’s CEO Andy Obeid for support in supplying oxygen sensors to them for their Flo-Ox™ – a bedside monitoring system that continuously monitors the oxygen concentration being delivered to patients. Andy has worked with SST in the past and knows of our responsiveness to customers and technical lead in the oxygen sensor market.
Immediately after the technical sales team had discussed the application, SST’s operations team calculated what we could deliver and in what timeframe, and our engineering team contacted the customer to discuss the details of integrating our sensor; handling the gas stream and the electronics design.
By late Monday afternoon, 10 samples of sensors and electronics boards had been built, tested, packed and despatched on a next day service. The samples were received on Tuesday morning and testing started immediately. Over the next few days, design teams at SST and Oxford Optronix held conference calls and technical discussions to assist Oxford Optronix with quick delivery of a first batch of prototype devices available for patient trials in only 5 days”.
At this time, with the world dealing with such a massive challenge it is essential to provide praise and appreciation to the keyworkers who are working on the front line of tackling this epidemic. Putting in the hours to help people where they can and risking their own lives to save others.
It is also extremely important to remember that behind the scenes are thousands of people supporting these frontline staff.
We at SST are conscious of the exemplary determination and conscientiousness of our staff and of our suppliers. They are also worthy of praise.
Like many companies we have followed government guidance and those staff members that can work from home are doing so. However, our operations and production staff continue to build products for our customers in our Scottish factory, while observing all distancing guidelines and maintaining stringent levels of cleanliness in the factory, to significantly reduce the risk of COVID-19.
The epidemic is hitting every aspect of our business and personal lives, but SST continues to support the drive for increased medical devices in the UK and worldwide.
Press releases on this project:
University College London (UCL) Press Release