Lars wins this year's innovation award for LARS
Lars Wik, employed at Prehospital Clinic, has won this year's Innovation Award from Inven2 for the invention LARS. This is a great recognition for Wik, which already has several licenses for inventions. He is touched and proud of winning the award.
LARS, which stands for LONGITUDINAL ADJUSTABLE RESUSCITATION SYSTEM, is a new type of mechanical chest compression machine attachment device used on people with cardiac arrest. It differs from current devices by being attached lengthwise to the body instead of across the chest. This solves several challenges, such as the fact that current devices do not fit very thin or overweight people, and that they are in the way of medical examinations.
LARS is more flexible and easier to maneuver, and ensures better accuracy for chest compressions that hit the right structures in the heart. The invention also addresses and solves limitations in current cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and improves treatment, patient and equipment logistics and reduces stress for healthcare personnel.
Wik receives NOK 500,000 in prize money, which he will use to further develop the invention. He plans to contact industrial designers to create a prototype, which he can then present to potential partners for production and further development. Initially, 44 proposals were considered for this year's innovation award, but the jury finally landed on LARS as the winner due to the invention's ability to meet a clear unmet need and improve cardiopulmonary resuscitation in general.