Positive end-expiratory pressure, or PEEP, valves are disposable parts used with ventilators to ensure that patients’ lungs retain some air and do not collapse when exhaling. The UT Dallas team is seeking emergency approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration so it can distribute the parts to hospitals that need the device. University Resources MobilizedThe University mobilized the COVID-UT Dallas Response Lab (CURL) in the UTDesign Studio, which typically is used by engineering students working on senior capstone projects. After receiving an existing PEEP valve from Ji, UT Dallas researchers captured images of the device using a CT scan in Lu’s Mechanics of Advanced Materials Laboratory. PEEP valves consist of a thin rubber component inside a hard plastic tube.