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What did we learn from the "open source ventilator" mess.......
tszaboo:
First Do No Harm. A open source ventilator which is not certified means it is not proven not to cause harm.
But then again, engineers have the equivalent of the Hippocratic Oath, though I've seen people not remembering it.
Engineers shall perform services only in the areas of their competence.
Engineers shall undertake assignments only when qualified by education or experience in the specific technical fields involved.
And learning the difference between "it works" and "it is properly designed, and it should be placed in production, and people can trust their life on it" is somewhat important. Just once, you should design something, that in case of malfunction can kill someone. And go to bed every night after that, and sleep normally.
Gyro:
--- Quote from: Berni on July 07, 2020, 05:15:02 am ---Tesla did a good example of how to do it properly. Granted it was likely more of a PR stunt (I don't have any info on how many they actually made and deployed) but at least it was engineered spot on.
--- End quote ---
The Dyson one got canned by the NHS before it was ready. I'm not sure if that one was a PR stunt or an attempt to break into the medical devices market. From the pictures I saw, I suspect that their schedule was hampered by having to decide on the colour scheme and how stylish it should look first.
[cynical mode off]
tggzzz:
--- Quote from: NANDBlog on July 07, 2020, 11:28:55 am ---First Do No Harm. A open source ventilator which is not certified means it is not proven not to cause harm.
But then again, engineers have the equivalent of the Hippocratic Oath, though I've seen people not remembering it.
Engineers shall perform services only in the areas of their competence.
Engineers shall undertake assignments only when qualified by education or experience in the specific technical fields involved.
And learning the difference between "it works" and "it is properly designed, and it should be placed in production, and people can trust their life on it" is somewhat important. Just once, you should design something, that in case of malfunction can kill someone. And go to bed every night after that, and sleep normally.
--- End quote ---
Basically yes.
Exception"... that in case of normal operation as designed can kill someone...".
donotdespisethesnake:
Things that the "Open Source ventilator" saga showed:
1. Most people have no clue what is required to make a medical grade ventilator
2. Most people have no clue that the medical profession are not willing to use unproven devices on patients
3. Most people have no clue what Open Source means
tldr; most people are clueless. But we already knew that.
james_s:
--- Quote from: tggzzz on July 07, 2020, 06:18:35 am ---Doctors have this Hippocratic oath to contend with; primum non nocere and all that.
Then they have to contend with lawyers who will convince the corpse's relatives that the doctor did something not sanctioned by the medical profession. However invalid, lawsuits are something doctors try to avoid.
--- End quote ---
Ok, well screw it then, let them die, it's safer than trying to help and helping wrong. I'd like to think that in a really dire situation people would react differently. Maybe it's a cultural thing? I've noticed most of the "OMG it HAS to be properly certified!! :scared:" people are not in the USA, many of us here have more of a "think outside the box and just get it done" attitude, or used to anyway.
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