The Airling doesn't add any moisture, so that is another reason to think it must only switch on when there is a breathing event. A constant pressure apnae machine with no moisture can get very uncomfortable.
Richard
I think you've been misinformed, the IGG definitely had multiple pre order options, I spent about $90 Aud so I had a good supply to play with.
My perk is: Silver Founder + 30 Airings
I think you've been misinformed, the IGG definitely had multiple pre order options, I spent about $90 Aud so I had a good supply to play with.
My perk is: Silver Founder + 30 AiringsFrom memory, what they offered was vouchers for 30 Airlings and so if they ever did release a product and they were marketing it rather then a bigger company, then you could get 30 Airlings for free. What you actually paid the money for was to fund the development of their product. That is where 100% of your money was committed to go.
A year needs 365 Airlings so for the first year, you are getting a 8.2% discount for the first year with the voucher offer. If a medical prescription is required, then you will need to get that first before you are even allowed to use any voucher.
By offering vouchers instead of Airlings, they only have to supply the vouchers and they have met the commitment. They do not have to deliver anything. If they did miraculously succeed in making a working pump that could deliver sufficient air last a night, then they would probably try and sell the idea to one of the industry multinational giants who could afford the $1 billion+ medical research costs and then sell it under their own brand names.
Btw I'm sceptical just like most others here but I'm going to reserve judgment until I see the product or the company quietly vanish with my money.
Latest update from yesterday:
Therefore, we are using what we learn during the prototyping of the micro-blowers to fabricate our design of the micro-pressure sensor.
Regarding a prescription, iirc that only applies in the USA and shouldn't be an issue for units being shipped internationally.
Regarding a prescription, iirc that only applies in the USA and shouldn't be an issue for units being shipped internationally.
Good luck with that. Assuming they ever have a product to ship, they've only stated that they "intend to make it available internationally" and "Subject to FDA clearance and doctor’s prescription in the US and local regulation abroad."
That doesn't mean they'll be shipping anything to you, but rather that they hope to have a various distributors who would apply for local approval - presumably through TGA in Australia. You would still need to go through whatever local requirements are required (sleep study / prescription) to "purchase" the end product with your vouchers, and possibly go through a battle of getting those vouchers recognised.
Ahh yes, that jogs the memory and you are correct. I do believe that the vouchers don't need to be used with a purchase of other airing units tho.
Parts and Pieces Everywhere!
Now that we have had access to the laser micromachining system we told you about in December, we have a stream of micro-blower parts and pieces flowing into our lab! Our benches are teeming with them. IT FEELS GREAT!!
Our progress has started to accelerate, just like we knew it would, and our engineers and scientist are busier than ever. We are working on more test fixtures to handle the testing of this increase in fabricated material. Stay tuned and look for more updates soon.
Again, we want you to know how much we appreciate your support. THANKS!!
The Airling doesn't add any moisture, so that is another reason to think it must only switch on when there is a breathing event. A constant pressure apnae machine with no moisture can get very uncomfortable.
Richard
The nasal passage is self moisturizing, that's why you are supposed to breath thru your nose under normal circumstances.
So in theory it doesn't matter that the Airing doesn't moisturize because it's not ramming air down the non-moisturizing throat like traditional cpap machines.
I think there are some very good ideas in the Airing design - if they can actually engineer it and make it useful is another story entirely.
Cheers Derek.
Hate to rain on your parade but this thing was doomed from the start and you are just paying for these dudes indulgence in a fantasy product. CPAP relies on air volume rate which this thing can't possibly deliver. For example have you ever tried to blow up an air bed with one of those small electric compressor tire pumps ? I tried to do it once and after an hour it was barely inflated. Then got the el-cheapo 12V vacuum cleaner which also doubles as a blower and it did it in minutes !! Are then any examples of a prototype which actually produces a measured volume of air ? ie how many liters per minute etc ?
Who are the suckers that put money into this crazy idea ? Say goodbye to your money
Like P.T.Barnum said "There is a sucker born every minute".
Who are the suckers that put money into this crazy idea ? Say goodbye to your money
Like P.T.Barnum said "There is a sucker born every minute".
Lol, I did but only out of engineering curiosity and it was less than $100 or one fun night out on the turps.
PS, they have more chance of delivering a working product than uBeam imo.
The hot air coming out of their mouths would be stronger than what this thing can do LOL
True, the BS is strong with them ... that said I dont think what they are trying to do is impossible, just difficult (and pointless).
True, the BS is strong with them ... that said I dont think what they are trying to do is impossible, just difficult (and pointless).
Actually, I'm afraid that doing what they propose, no matter how good the microblower or how good the battery, is impossible. The reasons why were discussed earlier in this thread. But it may be that they just don't understand the mechanics and physiology of obstructive sleep apnea well enough to realize that.
They want to use zinc air hearing-aid batteries as the energy source: http://www.fundairing.com/journal/2017/6/26/the-airing-micro-cpap-device-major-components
Pressure Sensor- As we have described in our previous blog, Airing’s micro-CPAP device wouldn’t work without a micro pressure sensor. The micro pressure sensor has two very important functions. First, it is an integral part of the feedback loop that ensures that the micro-blowers are delivering the pressure needed to maintain the treatment level prescribed by your physician. Second, the pressure sensor collects data about your use of the device, which can be used to prove the compliance for insurance reimbursement purposes.
There is SO much more involved than a tiny little feedback loop sensor and “micro turbines” in this little toy. If anyone was able to create something worthwhile, at this size, one of the “big boys” (Respironics, Resmed, etc) would have long figured it out.
There is SO much more involved than a tiny little feedback loop sensor and “micro turbines” in this little toy. If anyone was able to create something worthwhile, at this size, one of the “big boys” (Respironics, Resmed, etc) would have long figured it out.Not necessarily. Airling are talking about a pump composed of thousands of electrostatic micropumps. Also Airling are talking about a device that has to only work for about 8 hours and then it is discarded, and that can be sold in qualities of hundreds per patient per year. I doubt that the traditional companies have ever investigated the concepts. Normal CPAP machines are designed to run almost silently for 8 hours+ a night for many years with a very high reliability. The "big boys" also love the market in which they can sell a mask ( a few bits of injected molded plastic with a bit of silicone rubber) for one or two hundred dollars. They probably have a 1000% markup on the CPAP pumps prices. They have an extremely profitable business model and I doubt they want to disrupt it.
I just suspect this is like uBeam in that they are developing technology that can be useful, but not in the promoted usage. The difference with Airling is that the fund-raising didn't promise much - it was basically raising money to pay for research. As long as they use the money to do research, they have met their promise. The perks offered to contributors amounted to almost nothing - a voucher which would save a small portion of the first years bill, if the product even got to market.
Airling are saying the micropump would pump thousands of times a second. That sounds like an audio frequency. So the thing will be whistling very loudly all night, unless they have multiple phased drivers. It all sounds useless for a device that is means to be manufactured at about $1 a device. However if they can develop a very cheap micropump array, it may have a big market in other areas.
I doubt it will be a "train-wreck" simply because I don't believe the Airling branded CPAP device will ever get near to market. In the completely miraculous situation where they did succeed with a plausible cheap concept that actually worked, I am certain they would sell the design to a medical giant as getting it approved for market would cost a fortune. Airling are probably under no obligation to ensure a buyer passed on the perks to the contributors.