The Human Ventilator as Equipment for Pressure Energy Transfer: The Risk of not taking in Account Engineering Aspects in Such a Complex Problem

Firstly, I give you a simple personal example about the time when our research group started a project regarding the development of optical fi ber sensors for the monitoring of biochemical systems, especially fermentation. By that time, we noticed that many biologists and biotechnology professionals needed a solution for the assessment of such systems. In many cases, though, their formation made it particularly diffi cult to fi nd a solution. This is a problem that is present in almost every knowledge fi eld. In a PhD lecturer, the great Prof. Dr. Maciel Filho R (One of the greatest Brazilian authorities on the energetic and fermentation sectors) mentioned how important it was that engineers, chemists, and biologists discussed with each other. The group of Prof. Maciel Filho wished to make it viable to operate a biorefi nery, but the Monod kinetic parameters that would make the operation economically feasible were unreal. However, talking to a biologist colleague, Prof. Maciel learned that there was a particular Clostridium lineage which could be genetically modifi ed to obtain fermentation parameters close to what they needed. That showed him the importance of discussing and collaborating with everyone, since he learned something that, in principle, he did not even imagine.