Bubble Helmet
A cost effective and comfortable solution to Non-Invasive ventilation
Long term care residents account for approximately 81% of Canada’s COVID-19 deaths
There are currently over 162 hospital and care home outbreaks in western Canada
Traditional techniques to help patients breathe increase transmission risk for healthcare providers and non-COVID patients
Will assist future air-borne virus outbreaks…
Will become an alternative breathing support device…
Can be used as a hyperbaric chamber…
Can be used for sleep apnea…
with a comfortable method of breathing
| Sealong | Starmed | COSMIC Medical | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connection with existing hospital equipment (wall gases, CPAP, Bi-PAP) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Allow “prone” position to help patients breathe | ✓ | ||
| Reduce COVID-19 transmission | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Fully clear hood for patient comfort | ✓ | ||
| One-size for maximum compatibility to patient | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Cost per patient | $210CAD | $200CAD | <$110CAD |
The COSMIC Bubble Helmet is the first flexible and single material helmet in the world.
• Visual indicator for patient condition and status for health care providers
2. Ports
3. Easily Manufactured
• Without the need for specialized equipment, this helmet can be manufactured anywhere
4. Single Material
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March 2020Early prototypes, exploration of market space, and stakeholder consultation.
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May 2020Minimum viable product produced, testing and re-iteration with end-user specifications.
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JUNE 2020Product manufactured by 3rd party and undergoes extensive testing.
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JULY 2020Authorization for Importation or Sale of a COVID-19 Medical Device in a Clinical Trial as a Class II Medical Device.
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OCTOBER 2020“The COSMIC Bubble Helmet: A Non-Invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation System for COVID-19” published on IEEE OJEMB
COSMIC Medical Bubble Helmet team has also submitted the manuscript to IEEE OJEMB, which has recently been accepted for publication.
Acknowledgments
We would like the extend appreciation to all our sponsors, without you this project would not be possible. Special thanks to TRIUMF, ARTMS, and SEI Industries for helping with prototyping.
FAQ
+ Who are you?
We are a group of engineers, physicians, students and other professionals based out of Vancouver, Canada.
+ Why the bubble helmet over other NIV methods?
In addition to the bubble helmet’s lower risk of aerosolization of COVID-19 particles, there is literature supporting the usage of helmet NIV for patients with ARDS over conventional NIV. Furthermore, the bubble helmet can be adapted for PPE purposes. For these reasons, we believe the usefulness of the bubble helmet will outlive COVID-19.
+ Is the bubble helmet Health Canada certified?
In scaling up the manufacturing of the device, we aim to work with Canadian manufacturers with ISO13485 certification to gain Health Canada approval. In the current COVID-19 situation, Health Canada has relaxed its regulatory requirements.
+ What happens if the patient coughs or sneezes?
Our bubble helmets are designed to withstand high ranges of pressure with a safety margin well above the expected operational pressure limits. As such they will be able to withstand short spikes in pressure caused by coughing or sneezing. Pressure will be normalized by the PEEP valve shortly after.
+ Can patients use the bubble helmet while prone?
Our current testing prototype utilizes a rigid ring to interface between the hood and the neck seal. Pronation is still possible with a rigid ring; however, we are working towards designing a helmet with a non-rigid design that will allow for more comfortable pronation.
+ Can the bubble helmet be taken off in a hurry if the patient is in distress?
The bubble helmet is designed to be simple to assemble and disassemble. In the case of an emergency, the flexible neck seal allows for the helmet to be easily taken off the patient’s head.
+ How comfortable is the bubble helmet?
A natural advantage of the bubble helmet is that it provides the patient unrestricted vision of their surroundings. There is no immediate mask attached to their face. As such, the bubble helmet is superior in terms of comfort relative to existing NIV interfaces.
The Bubble Helmet Team
Leads: Arpan Grover, Amy Wu & Vionarica Gusti
Members: Chanelle Chow, Sabian Chiu, Zachary Huser, Mahsa Kohansal, Ryan Lee, Jun Lim, Eric Lyall, Erica Ma, Abhijit Pandhari, Mattias Park, Harrison Phillips, Faisal Shahril, Ella Sit, Kevin Su, Dan Dreiger, Tim Henthorne, Dr. Mark Johnson, Dr. Neilson McLean, Matthew Pope, Juan Rodriguez, Dr. Ivan Scrooby, Dr. Avinash Sinha, Bruce Wong, Dr. Yair Linn