Tell us what you want to know
Or maybe we'll just tell you all that we know?
But first things first: let's talk a little about us!
.how did we get here.
.the projects vision.
.the worldwide pandemic.
The COVID-19 epidemic changes the rules of the game around the world. The space that we remembered as a unrestricted freedom, exchange of goods, services and movement is becoming a thing of the past. The world has changed so have we changed ourselves.
The VentilAid project is one of the first and most visible initiatives in the world aimed at solidarity in fighting against a pandemic and its effects globally. Now and in the future.
Most countries suffer from a lack of medical equipment. The scale and speed of expansion of the disease mercilessly laid the situation bare. Life-saving equipment may not be produced and delivered on demand and in a short time. Finally, the price may exceed even the possibilities of well-organized countries.
.medical equipment inaccessibility.
Aware of these shortcomings and increase in similar problems, now and in the future, we have recognized that respirators are the key yet scarce medical devices at the current stage.
They enable medical services to treat people suffering from infection symptoms and breathing problems, thus prevent the patients´ health from a rapid deterioration. The most important assumption guiding our team is the simplicity of the technical solutions while minimizing their costs and maintaining functionality.
.call to the community.
Locked in their homes, isolated from close relatives around the world, citizens are condemned to follow the messages about incoming infections and threats. The sudden appearance of VentilAid has created a completely different message for the recipients: “Help us, we have an idea, let’s do something together, let’s get organised!”
Thanks to the call to support the project, over 1,000 people have declared their willingness to help in engineering and conceptual work, with strong technical, technological and design competences, providing assistance in 3D printing, support in medical tests, declaring financial support or sometimes also ordinary, but very valuable words of recognition. They are all comforting. The global mobilization gives also a picture of what people need today – the hope. Beliefs that human ingenuity, self-organization and solidarity will also help coping with a raging pandemic. Regardless of the level of wealth of the country in which we have to fight the scourge of the virus.
.international availability.
From the very beginning, the main idea of VentilAid has been not only to help Poland, Poles and local hospitals, or to support Polish healthcare professionals. The assumption was broader from the launch of the idea – that the less industrialized and poorer countries would also receive support. In a situation where equipment shortages are becoming more common and supply chains are interrupted, the corona-virus epidemic will leave noticeable traces in every part of our globe.
First of all, in countries that not only will not have the funds to buy the right equipment, but neither the infrastructure enabling the access to advanced technological lines for mass industrial production.
.why Open-Source.
.moral responsibility.
A global pandemic is a threat to all humanity; we believe we have a moral responsibility to share knowledge and experience, especially in these difficult times. This is the typical ethos of Poles who have been used to fighting for our and others´freedom for centuries, but also support those that are weaker, especially in situations of extreme injustice.
.for all and anyone.
To remain in solidarity with the most disadvantaged people, we cannot imagine that we could charge any fees for our project. Therefore, all solutions, as unanimously decided by the team, are available for purposes of free and open use. Let everyone who has access to basic resources have the opportunity to implement our solutions and save loved ones. Regardless of gender, race, faith or skin colour.
.together as one.
Open source also means access to a collective knowledge base and skills of communities from around the world – together we are working to improve our solutions so they can become more accessible and simpler. This increases the chance of saving people, while relieving the health service and its employees.
.the projects timeline.
16th of March
From the beginning
Mateusz Janowski together with the Urbicum team: Szymon Bacher, Szymon Chrupczalski, Jan Pawlik, and Maciej Żarnowski, prepared a rough prototype of a simple and printable respirator of last resort.
17th of March
The idea catches on
Szymon Chrupczalski contacts Miłosz Lodowski from MxM Production House and informs him about the emerging solution and existing prototype. So, shortly after, the idea of a global outreach campaign is born. The goal becomes to advance and refine the project so it becomes a key device in saving lives at risk, even in the world’s poorest countries.
19th of March
The vision takes body
Miłosz’s (Ice) creates the logo and name “VentilAid” – a verbal game that combines the English words “breathe” and “help”, which together produce the sound “ventilate” – allow breathing. The logo refers to both: the shape of the lungs and the heart. Ice is a Bond fan thus the idea to combine the project with the slogan “From Poland with Love” highlighting the mission of the project, enforced by the appropriate hashtag: #FromPolandWithLove. By this date, storytelling activities are prepared and successfully implemented.
20th of March
First call to the people
Miłosz Kozioł from MxM Production House records in difficult conditions caused by the epidemic an audiovisual presentation, in which Szymon Chrupczalski, in English, presents a fabricated and working prototype and calls on the international community to help develop the project, explaining the ideological assumptions of the VentilAid idea.
Play Video
Play Video
Play Video
21-22th of March
Going public with a bang!
A website is created and VentilAid profiles are prepared in social media. Simultaneously, a group of friends joins the team to support the project with their competences and knowledge (Bartosz Wilk from MxM Production House / Urbicum, Paweł Soproniuk from Neuron PR, Karol Piekutowski from Max Harter, Emilia Smolak Lozano, Przemysław Bator from PR Spot). The media messages and project´s communication tools are ready to launch. The project is looking for the first donors and sponsors.
23th of March
The community forms
VentilAid movie is published on YouTube and the official profile on Facebook, while information about the venture goes to the media and international information services. The high level of interest in the project explodes in public space. Many Poles convey lots of warm words towards the team. The whole viral effect transform into the main media information and quickly reaches the leading media in Poland and abroad reaching even the highest authorities in the country. Within 5 days, over 1000 people willing to volunteer or support the endeavor are reported. Thank notes, congratulations and requests are sent by email from around the world. Some entrepreneurs present their first proposals for cooperation and financial support. The first doctors who confront the assumptions of the project with knowledge coming straight from the treatment rooms come forward. Based on them, the team makes the first corrections to the prototype design.
24th of March
Aiming worldwide
The second version of the prototype presented in our official video is published. Specialists from all over the world contact the VentilAid team. Therefore, the completely new solutions and ideas of innovative models appear. The first tests are planned in Cracow hospitals. Just after 24h the video with Szymon Chrupczalski have already reached several hundred thousand views in total. Translation of communication materials into other languages begins, including Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Persian, Arabic, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, Swedish, Latvian, Hungarian, Serbian, and Bulgarian. The volunteer community of linguists actively supports the project, trying to outreach the whole world.
On the part of the Government of the Republic of Poland there are noticeable declarations of assistance, including financial and institutional support. At the same time, the base of companies declaring support for the project is growing. There come the proposals for the commissioning of entire laboratories or technological lines for the aims of testing and production of the complete version of the solution. The active community sends its proposals for innovations and improvements in the project.
26th of March
Big changes, big plans
The big day of the announcement of the 3rd version of the prototype 1! Also, the completely new design of the non-invasive CPAP respirator, which does not have to be produced using the 3D printing technique. The declaration of mass production of respirators according to a modified, certified design.
27th of March
The idea catches on
Cooperation with the Łukasiewicz Research Network is established. The largest research and development centers in Poland join the project. The goal is not only to develop the first prototype, but also to develop further solutions to fill the gap in national resources while helping other countries in the world. Everything is performed under the slogan #FromPolandWithLove. The team is voluntarily joined by valued professionals: Tomasz Szlązak – who takes over the professional communication of the VentilAid Team with the Łukasiewicz Research Network, Kamil Kajetanowicz – who improves information flow processes and strengthens the staff of the future, Stefan Tompson – who strengthens communication skills in the English-speaking sphere.
28-29th of March
More Research and Development
Ongoing research and development of the project.
30th of March
Further
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