Israeli start-up Oxygenium, has developed a portable machine that can generate high-flow oxygen that could be utilized as a solution for the growing need of first responders as well as hospitals to offer a regular oxygen supply for COVID-19 patients, as well as for many other emergency situations.

According to The Jerusalem Post, CEO of Oxygenium, Oded Weiss, established his company and began working on a practical solution to the issues surrounding hand-held oxygen tanks in the IDF. IDF medics embedded into each individual unit, are not allowed to carry oxygen tanks due to their high susceptibility to flame and exploding ammunition.

A like-minded group of Israeli partners got together three years ago in order to answer one of the toughest tactical and logistical questions facing IDF teams with regard to their bringing oxygen into battle in the hopes of saving a fellow soldier’s life, weighed against the volatility of the gas within the canisters.

The co-creators began to cultivate their vast medical and military experience in an effort to bring oxygen to the battlefield, which could result in lives being saved.

“Oxygen tanks are not allowed in the battlefield because they risk exploding and are therefore considered too dangerous,” Weiss said. “However, we have seen that in wars that Israel has fought, the complications related to the evacuation of injured soldiers without the possibility of providing them with oxygen in the meantime has caused several fatalities.”

Oxygenium eventually found a solution that would not only eliminate the dangers related to traditional oxygen tanks, while simultaneously making it easier to carry the canister.

The resulting research and developments enabled the group to build a prototype device, about 45×18 centimeters in size, that produces oxygen without the need of a thermo-dynamic process.

Weiss added, “Our device can create a stable high-flow of oxygen and it is easy to operate. In order to ensure the continuity of the flow, it works with cartridges that can be replaced.”

Over the years, Oxygenium has collaborated with numerous partners, including United Hatzalah, the US Army Medical Materiel Development Activity, and the New York City Fire Department.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)