Dyson to Produce Hospital Ventilators to Address Shortages

We just reported how Tesla, GM, and Ford offered their factories to help build hospital ventilators, but they’re not the only companies addressing the pandemic – Dyson just agreed to build 15,000 ventilators, 1/3 of which will be donated.

In concert with The Technology Partnership (TTP), and with a U.K. government grant, Dyson will produce a new type of ventilator called “CoVent” – a portable, bed-mounted device that can run from battery power in field-hospital conditions (according to FastCompany.com).

Dyson will build 15,000 ventilators, with 10,000 going to the U.K. government and 5,000 being donated (1,000 for the U.K. and 4,000 elsewhere). The initial order of 10,000 units will begin production immediately at RAF Hullavington.

And just in time – the U.K. government pleaded that their stockpile of 8,175 devices wasn’t enough, and Dyson claims that the CoVent can be made “quickly, efficiently, and at volume.”

In an internal Dyson e-mail, James Dyson stated the following:

“Hospitals are the frontline in the war against Covid-19, where heroic doctors, nurses, and care workers are battling to save lives … as with any battle, there are many challenges to overcome, not least the availability of essential equipment which in this case means ventilators.

Since I received a call from Boris Johnson ten days ago, we have refocused resources at Dyson, and worked with TTP, The Technology Partnership, to design and build an entirely new ventilator, The CoVent.”

The company hasn’t said exactly when the CoVent will reach the front lines, but every indication points to a quick turnaround.