UW Health Partners with UW Engineering to Maximize Donations from Strategic National Stockpile

Madison, Wisconsin - In another example of ingenuity and cross-campus collaboration during a time of crisis, UW Health partnered with the UW College of Engineering to design, test and manufacture a critical piece of personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline workers.

Last month, UW Health received 1,000 Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR) hoods from the federal government’s Strategic National Stockpile, but the connectors required to attach the hoses delivering HEPA-filtered air to the hoods were not compatible. PAPR units are used to safeguard healthcare workers against contaminated air and typically include a motor/blower, filter, battery, breathing tube and hood. Within just a week’s time, engineers from both UW Health and UW Engineering were able to discuss the problem, design and test a prototype, and have the connectors manufactured and delivered to University Hospital. As a result, all 1,000 PAPR hoods are now ready for use in the fight against COVID-19.

Cross-Campus Connections: UW College of Engineering and UW Health