The BDR-19™ Critical-Care Ventilator is an easy to use, mass produced, full featured critical care ventilator that was created as a response to the global Covid-19 pandemic. It required the Nectar team to dive into an unforeseen remote work environment while navigating tight timelines and extreme supply chain challenges.
The unmet need that hospitals around the country were facing called for ventilators that are both easy to train on and mass producible with easily sourced components, something that would typically take years to develop. Nectar rose to the challenge, delivering an FDA approved ventilator created with locally sourced components within 10 months of the project start date.
While continuing to develop other projects on schedule, Nectar’s team recognized that lives were being lost as a result of ventilator shortages. With daily interdisciplinary meetings, agile methodology, and a commitment to our company values, we worked with engineers, designers, and clinicians to ensure that these ventilators would be available to save lives as soon as possible.
We leveraged our team’s experience with medical and critical care devices, our existing presence within the supply chain, and our ISO 13485:2016 QMS Certification to take the BDR-19™ Critical-Care Ventilator to hospitals around the world.
Based on challenges many medical device producers were facing, Nectar evaluated the supply chain early in the process; we could see that the pandemic was preventing other ventilator companies from increasing production because they couldn’t get their components through the supply chain.
As a result, our early stage design was based on readily and locally sourced components that we knew we could use for mass production, regardless of border’s closing or international shortages. During a tough economic time, our device has not only saved lives, it’s also been a part of creating California jobs due to our emphasis on local sourcing and production.
Prior to launching a medical product into the market, it is crucial to ensure the device is both safe and user-friendly, as inadequate usability can potentially result in loss of life. To collect feedback on the design and validate its ease of use, we conducted a usability study with nurses and respiratory therapists at a partner hospital
The participants in this study were given a short video tutorial on how to operate the device before being given a variety of tasks to complete by the facilitator. This enabled Nectar to test the critical tasks associated with the use of the device and ensure the device was safe and easy to operate without mistakes. After synthesizing the results of the study it was determined that the BDR-19 was safe and easy to use.
It’s been designed to offer:
Nectar’s CEO, Darren Saravis, is extremely proud of the Nectar team for pulling together such an efficient, life-saving product at an unheard of pace. As he shared afterwards:
“It’s truly amazing to see what people are capable of when they really need to pull together and make something happen.”
Darren is an accomplished, dynamic leader who founded Nectar, X-Naut, and BreathDirect. He is committed to improving the world through the synthesis of technology, science, and art. Under Darren’s leadership, Nectar is leveraging the latest advances in cutting-edge technology to transform medical device development and design. As part of his
Stefanie brings over 10 years of experience in regulatory affairs and quality assurance, guiding a wide range of medical devices and pharmaceutical products through complex global requirements. She has successfully managed FDA 483 responses, 510(k) submissions, and audits across U.S., EU, APAC, and LATAM markets. Known for her collaborative and solutions-driven approach, Stefanie helps both startups and established companies navigate evolving regulatory landscapes with creative, compliant strategies.
Bryan Chan is a Senior AI and Software Architect with extensive experience in developing AI-driven medical technologies that are both innovative and compliant with industry standards (ISO 62304). His accomplishments include leading the development of: an AI-powered, contactless remote patient monitoring device with LLM-based voice engagement, a closed-loop insulin pump for Type 2 diabetes using on-body sensors, a motorized smart walker with real-time gait analysis, and an FDA-compliant AI SaMD platform for gastrointestinal disease detection. Bryan excels at defining technical vision, building high-performance teams, and navigating complex regulatory pathways to deliver scalable, market-ready MedTech solutions.
Adam Marten has worked in the aerospace and consumer products industries since 2006 with lead engineering experience in conceptual design, product development, analysis and performance qualification testing. Adam has experience leading a range of technical projects, including multiple structural analyses for military and aerospace applications. He has also worked directly with engineering teams to develop medical devices and laboratory instrumentation.
James is a seasoned professional with over seven years of experience at Nectar, where he brings his expertise in industrial design, user interface, and user experience to the table. With a background in the highly competitive automotive industry, working for heavyweights like Daimler and Tesla, James is a true asset to the Nectar team. He is responsible for ensuring that the company adheres to user-centered design best practices, and he works closely with clients and partners on crucial human factors strategies for FDA submissions and the overall usability engineering process. James’ achievements in this field speak to his exceptional skills and dedication to the work he does.
With over two decades of experience in healthcare innovation, Kerry has been instrumental in transforming patient care and improving patient outcomes across the globe. Her extensive knowledge and expertise in the cardiovascular and cardiothoracic operating room, as well as her experience in emergency medicine, geriatrics, pediatric psychiatry, and main OR, make her a versatile and valuable member of the team. From small hospitals to large teaching institutions, Kerry’s 20 years of experience with patient documentation, including the use of EPIC, Cerner, and Meditech electronic charting systems, have positioned her as a leader in her field. Her recent involvement in helping transition the Providence St. Vincent Medical Center’s Cardiac Surgery program from paper charting to electronic documentation further underscores her commitment to advancing the healthcare industry.
Jonathan is a Human Factors Engineer with a background in psychology and sociology, bringing a unique perspective that bridges human behavior, usability, and inclusive design. Grounded in universal design principles, his work focuses on creating safe, accessible, and intuitive user experiences informed by both qualitative and quantitative research. At Nectar, Jonathan leads the Human Factors team, guiding research and risk management efforts through user testing, field studies, and evidence-based evaluations to ensure that every product decision reflects the real needs of its users.
Jenny is a Human Factors Engineer with a strong foundation in psychology, bringing a research-driven approach to usability, workflow analysis, and user-centered design. She has worked across clinical, consumer, and emerging technology spaces, leading studies that examine cognitive workload, fatigue, task performance, and product interaction to optimize safety and usability. At Nectar, Jenny collaborates with cross-functional teams to translate user needs into actionable design recommendations, supporting risk management, formative evaluations, and usability strategies for regulatory submissions.