FRD-e is now available for emergency deployment on ICs worldwide. Production of the first 30 FRD-e's has started this week. These devices will be shipped worldwide to countries including Romania, Ghana, Tanzania and Brazil.

After 5 weeks of development, the first low-cost devices are ready and available to provide an additional solution to the worldwide need for respiratory equipment. The FRD-e is an initiative of the Dutch company Stogger, intensivist Hugo Touw of the Radboudumc and app building company Cosmicnode. The initiators created the device in order to help hospitals all over the world in need of additional, easy-to-use and low-cost ventilation equipment. A breathing balloon is already positioned above a bed of every IC patient. What has been added is a device that can take over the manual use by a nurse or doctor for 24 hours a day. The device can also be used with an app. Please watch the video in which intensivist Hugo Touw explains how the FRD-e works (link: https://vimeo.com/400057735). The video has been viewed already over 80,000 times.

Saving lives
With the respirators made in The Netherlands, patients in need can be ventilated automatically and lives can be saved. Initially, the device was developed as an open source "do-it-yourself" package: named the VentilatorPAL by FreeBreathing. However, due to the high demand for certified equipment, a professional version has been developed together with the NTS Group: named the FRD-e. The essential part is the ventilation balloon that is already positioned at every ICU bed, making the use of this machine very accessible, intuitive and effective.

Easy to control with an app
The FRD-e is also easy to control with the use of an app allowing doctors and nurses to set up the pace and power of the ventilation. Because it is so easy-to-use those parts of the world where limited ventilation devices are available can really benefit. In addition, it can also be used in ambulances and operating rooms.

High demand
When their website went live a few weeks ago, numerous parties from multiple countries showed interest. The product is especially popular in countries outside Europe due to its low cost and easy use.

Collaboration
The short time in which the device has been developed is exceptional. Many professionals have contributed with the sole purpose of developing a device that can save human lives. Research at the University of Twente, led by lung physiologist Prof. dr. Dr. de Jong, confirmed that FRD-e complies with the basic requirements for use on patients with severe respiratory problems suffering Covid-19. “FRD-e complies with the basic requirements for use on patients with severe respiratory problems suffering Covid-19.”