Georgina Ferry interviews Thomas Kirk, Former DPhil student (Biomedical Engineering), conducted by Georgina Ferry, 6 December 2022.
Topics discussed include (00:00:40) early interest in engineering, teaching experience, studies at Oxford and influence of Michael Chappell; (00:03:20) PhD subject, including working with new types of MRI to investigate the function of the brain; (00:04:59) Variational Bayesian approaches; (00:08:23) first awareness of COVID-19; (00:11:54) OxVent, work of Robert Staruch and Andrew Farmery on prototype ventilator; (00:15:04) advantages of OxVent ventilator, work of Harrison Steel on control and electronics; (00:17:32) TK's personal involvement with the OxVent project, inclusion of other PhD students including Andrew Orr; (00:20:40) use of the prototype ventilator on patients; (00:21:51) delivery of oxygen via ventilation to patients unable to breathe for themselves; (00:25:55) the U.K. Government's Ventilator Challenge; (00:30:52) pairing with Smith & Nephew and King's College London to work on the ventilator design and manufacture, including TK's new role as Systems Integration Lead; (00:36:22) work of Chantal Edwards as Project Manager, including activation of Civilian Air Corps; (00:41:00) visit to Hull and Smith & Nephew to work collaboratively on the design; (00:46:26) control software on the device, work of Oxford team on software writing, work of Paul Goulart and Michael Garstka; (00:52:50) volunteers working on the design and manufacture at Smith & Nephew; (00:55:17) project pressure, working conditions and hours, news relating to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson's infection with COVID-19; (00:58:50) coordination of the Ventilator Challenge, including issues around politics; (01:02:10) ventilator components and work with overseas suppliers; (01:05:58) the number of ventilators required during the first wave of COVID-19; (01:08:07) issues around acquiring components, particularly NIST hoses, correspondence with the Cabinet Office; (01:12:57) change of requirements by the government, impact of this on team morale, ending of the Ventilator Challenge project; (01:22:30) requirement for ventilators in hospitals; (01:24:46) OxVent social enterprise, plans for the future; (01:26:35) return to Oxford from Hull, including the first national lockdown, experience on mental health and outlook; (01:29:30) work on second COVID-19 project 'VaxiMap' with Robert Staruch; (01:42:45) involvement of Adam Barker, creation of prototype website relating to allocation of spare vaccine doses; (01:46:00) recognition and awards for OxVent project; (01:46:35) correspondence with the NHS relating to VaxiMap project, issues around funding; (01:50:00) data privacy and security; (01:52:15) funding for the project by the U.K. Army and Ministry of Defence; (01:55:20) current work with Michael Chappell on spin-out medical imaging company 'Quantified Imaging'; (02:04:23) response to the threat of COVID-19 infection; (02:08:11) key lessons for the future, both in terms of personal life and career. Note: the following sections of audio are redacted (00:20:54) to (00:20:58).
