F1 team uses racing car technology to keep newborns safe in ambulances

GROVE, England (Reuters) – A Formula One racing team is employing technology that helps racing drivers survive high speed crashes to create a new device that keeps newborn babies safe during emergency transportation.

The device, known as the Babypod 20, is made from carbon fiber – the same material used in Formula One cars&rsquo- bodywork. It can withstand a 20 g-force impact and provides newborns with a secure, temperature-controlled environment for ambulance transportation.

It was designed and built by Williams Advanced Engineering, an arm of the UK-based Williams F1 team, in collaboration with healthcare firm Advanced Healthcare Technology (AHT).

&ldquo-This challenge of providing a lightweight, strong pod to put infants in to be moved around is absolutely the same challenge, virtually, as we&rsquo-re trying to tackle in the main chassis of a Formula 1 car,&rdquo- Paul McNamara, Technical Director at Williams Advanced Engineering, told Reuters.

&ldquo-We need it to be strong, light, and crash-proof.&rdquo-

There were 7,938 medical transfers of newborn children in the UK in the 12 months up to June 2017, according to the UK&rsquo-s Neonatal Transport Group, a medical association specializing in the transporting children.

Typically, providing emergency transport to newborn children requires the use of large incubators, which require a power supply and specialist vehicles.

The pods are now being used by the UK&rsquo-s Children&rsquo-s Acute Transport Service. Eithne Polke, the service&rsquo-s operational manager, said the design had &ldquo-made a big difference to our transportation processes&rdquo-.

Williams says it expects to make around 500 of the devices in the first year of production.

F1 teams frequently put their engineering know-how to use outside the sport.

Williams&rsquo- rivals McLaren have applied data management and race simulation expertise to help London&rsquo-s Heathrow airport improve movements on the ground and reduce the time spent by planes circling overhead.

Williams previously developed a device to save money and energy by using aerodynamic technology developed through racing to keep more cold air inside open-fronted refrigerators.