The technology of Formula 1 has had a great impact in many sectors, but its last great contribution comes in the form of incubator, designed to transport babies They must be rushed to the hospital.
The name of this incubator is "Babypod 20"and has been designed by the Williams team with the same techniques and materials with which Formula 1 cars are built, providing it with a robust design but easy to handle.
A robust, practical and agile handling incubator
Transporting a sick newborn from one place to another is not a simple task., since the incubator needs to maintain a constant temperature and protect the baby from vibration and outside noise. Traditional incubators also require an electrical supply that is not always available, as well as vehicles specially equipped for transport.
With the intention of improving all these peculiarities was born "Babypod 20", a modern incubator made with F1 technology, designed to transport sick babies.
The "Babypod" incubator emerged in 2015, when the English company Advanced Healthcare Technology (AHT) contacted the Williams team to design a lighter, more modern and more practical alternative to traditional transport incubators."Our work in the last ten years has been focused on developing safe devices for the transport of sick babies, with the aim of helping the medical staff that treats them to save their lives" - said Mark Lait, design director of Advanced Healthcare Technology .
Gradually, "Babypod" was introducing changes in its original design that has allowed to reduce its weight, size and improve the results of crash tests. And it is that this incubator, with just nine kilos of weight is able to withstand an impact of up to 20G, something really useful if the vehicle that carries it is involved in a traffic accident, for example.
This made with carbon fiber, a very robust material used for the manufacture of cars of formula 1. Its interior is padded and it has a transparent and sliding lid that allows health personnel greater ease of access to the newborn.
Its particular design allows to be transported by ambulance, car or even helicopter.
"The similarities between a Formula 1 car and a baby transport device may not be immediately apparent, but both require a light and strong structure that keeps the occupant safe in the event of an accident and vital signs can be monitored while it is still easily transportable and accessible. " - said Craig Wilson, CEO of Williams Advanced Engineering.
It is already being used with excellent results
The "Babypod 20" is already being used by the Children's Water Transportation Service (CATS) of the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London with excellent results.
Currently, the "Babypod" incubator has an approximate cost of 5,700 euros and a larger scale production is planned to supply several hospitals and continue to facilitate the transport of sick babies."The CATS team controls about 50 percent of London's emergencies, so the Fast and efficient transportation in these situations is vital for Save lives. The Babypod has a design that allows greater flexibility and maneuverability when moving seriously ill babies from one place to another "- said Eithne Polke, CATS operations coordinator.
"This incubator not only maintains a constant temperature, but also offers the possibility of the baby being supervised at all times thanks to its transparent and easily accessible cover. We are delighted with the updated safety and design features of Babypod and believe that it has made a big difference in our transport processes. "
