Camcon Medical unveils first medical application for its binary actuation technology

Patients needing respiratory care could be given more accurate oxygen dosages, improving safety and cost efficiency, thanks to fluid control technology originally developed for the oil and gas and automotive industries.

Cambridge-based Camcon Medical, which specialises in high-speed, low energy liquid and gas flow control, has identified oxygen therapy as the first medical application for its Binary Actuation Technology (BAT).

Oxygen therapy is used to treat patients with a range of conditions, including severe lung disease, carbon monoxide toxicity and cystic fibrosis. Accurate oxygen dosing is a significant challenge, as both under- or over-dosing can prove fatal, said Charles Potter, director of Camcon Medical.

“According to the British Thoracic Society there are thousands of patients that receive too much oxygen every day, because of the way that the gas is delivered, and some patients can have severe medical problems if they are given too much oxygen,” said Potter.

It is estimated that between 2,000-4,000 people die in the UK alone each year from incorrect oxygen supply.