Fracassi and his team developed an ingenious solution that would allow those affected by COVID to breathe, thus saving thousands — perhaps even hundreds of thousands — of lives. 

This incredible achievement led to many patients’ recovery and has become an international symbol of lifesaving innovation — to the point that the Charlotte valve is now on display at some of the world’s most prestigious museums, including the MoMA and the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York and The Victoria and Albert Museum in London, to name a few.