Today's Topline - 4/9/20
Thursday, April 9, 2020
Source: MedTech Association
Good Thursday morning. Whether you’re a person of faith or not, today’s coronavirus news almost certainly evokes for you the poignant seasonal messages of liberation, rebirth and renewal. As we continue to fight this disease, please accept our wishes that this weekend will bring you some time to rest, connect with the ones you love, and reflect on the shared nature of our condition.
In important funding news, the US Army is launching the xTech COVID-19 Ventilator Challenge to innovators across the nation. The Army seeks a low-cost, readily manufacturable emergency ventilator to quickly augment current ventilator capacity. The technology solution must provide a rapid response breathing apparatus capable of short-term, rugged field operation. In addition, the ventilator must be low cost, require minimal components, with a small footprint, and designed for mass production. Ideally, the technology would support field hospitals that are still acquiring critical infrastructure such as generators, power distribution and pressurized oxygen. The prize competition will evaluate technology proposals immediately upon submission and award novel solutions with a prize of $5,000 to present a virtual pitch of the technology concept to the xTech COVID-19 panel, and award prizes of $100,000 to solutions accepted by the panel to develop a concept prototype. Select technologies may receive follow on contracts for additional production and deployment.
Competition details (RFI overview, quad-chart response template, and judging criteria) can be found here.
MedTech exists to deliver value to the bio/med industry and serve those on the front lines of healthcare advances. We rely on our members to make that possible. Please take a moment to join or renew your membership today. Renewing members can lock in last year’s rate through 2021. New members who join today will receive 3 free months on their membership year. Don’t wait. We need your support to continue the work we do.
As always, don’t hesitate to contact us with your specific questions and concerns. Regular updates can be found at our website, which is refreshed daily.