Australia develops 3D printed ‘personalised’ anti-snoring device

A NEW facility opened in Melbourne in December to producenew anti-snoring devices customised to an individual’s specific needs, using three-dimensional (3D) printing technology.

The device, named an ‘O2Vent, stops patients from snoring by delivering air to the back of the mouth, alleviating multiple sites of obstruction including the nose, soft palate and tongue. The O2Vent is a revolutionary personalised lightweight titanium device, expected to assist he estimated one million Australians who suffer from sleep apnoea. 

The Oventus 3D printing facility opened in December at CSIRO’s Clayton site in Victoria. The facility will manufacture the O2Vent devices, in the start of a program which is anticipated to change the lives of millions of people around the world with sleep-disordered breathing.

Sleep apnoea is caused by excessive snoring, which can lead to high blood pressure, stroke, irregular heartbeats, heart attacks and diabetes.

“The partnership between Oventus and CSIRO is an example of collaboration between private sector and public research, creating businesses opportunities and new jobs – a key aim of the National Innovation and Science Agenda,” Innovation Minister Greg Hunt said at the December opening.

“Oventus recently listed on the ASX following a successful IPO that raised $12 million, and they are set to launch onto the US market in early 2017, where over 37 million people regularly suffer from snoring,” he said. 

www.oventus.com.au

 

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