STEVE RAFFNER

As the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the world, I recognized the need for safer and more efficient methods of transporting infected patients to medical facilities.

That's when I had the idea to transform a car roof box into a transport capsule that could carry one patient at a time. Equipped with an oxygen supply and a ventilation system to prevent the spread of the virus, this rooftop capsule is designed to fit on top of a car and can be easily disinfected after each use.

Although the capsule has not yet been tested on actual patients and requires approval from health authorities, I am proud to have developed a potential solution to help transport COVID-19 patients in areas with limited access to medical transport. This invention showcases my creativity, problem-solving skills, and dedication to making a positive impact on society during times of crisis.

Technical Features

A French-Swiss serial entrepreneur has designed a roof box for cars to transport Covid-19 patients safely and limit contamination during inter-hospital transfers. The Mobicapsule, a new transport module for patients, has been accessorised inside the roof box with a mattress to ensure patient comfort and gloves integrated into the box to allow intervention at any time.

The prototype is resistant to high and low temperatures, lightweight and has waterproof qualities. The Mobicapsule also features hermetic holes on the sides for easy access to the patient, as well as outlets for medical equipment, such as respirators, cables, infusion bags, oxygen bottles, and more. The project initiator aims to obtain funding for industrial production of the Mobicapsule through a crowdfunding campaign. A second version, for conscious patients, is already being studied.

Team Collaboration

To transport COVID-19 patients safely, a team of engineers and healthcare workers in Haute-Savoie, France, transformed a car roof box into a capsule. The team, which included a hospital practitioner and emergency doctor named Frédéric Champly and a French-Swiss entrepreneur and innovation consultant named Steve Raffner, came up with the idea for the capsule to protect patients and those transferring them to other hospitals during what has been described as "one of the largest patient transfer operations since World War II".

The capsule, called "Mobicapsule", was designed using a large car roof box, which was deemed easily available and optimally designed for the project. Raffner explains that the battle against COVID-19 is a race against time and that it was inconceivable to watch medical transfers take place outdoors. The Mobicapsule was created to provide a robust, simple, and replicable solution to protect healthcare workers while reducing the use of consumables.