About us

Our Story: From Patient Struggles to
Life-Changing Innovation

FlexO2 began with a challenge faced by one patient — and a determination to find a better way.

In southern Sweden, medtech engineer Bengt Hansson sat down with a pulmonologist and an oxygen nurse to discuss the care of a patient we’ll call Sven. Sven relied on oxygen therapy at home, but he couldn’t change the oxygen flow on his own. This left him completely dependent on family and healthcare staff, undermining his independence and sense of self.

Sven had been active all his life. Though he still wanted to stay involved in daily routines, even minor tasks left him fatigued. He frequently fell when trying to reach his oxygen concentrator, resulting in ambulance trips and hospital stays. His wife, too, was affected — she couldn’t leave him unattended, not even to run a quick errand.

It became clear that Sven’s oxygen needs varied significantly depending on whether he was active or at rest — and that switching settings safely was nearly impossible without help. Bengt assumed a solution must already exist. When it didn’t, he built one himself.

Using available components, he created a functional, if bulky, prototype. It allowed Sven to switch settings independently, and more importantly, safely.

“The change was almost instant.
Sven told me it was the best thing that had happened to him since becoming a father. His wife could finally go out without worrying about him. He said it had given both of them their life and freedom back.”

Bengt Hansson – founder

As word spread, other patients requested the same device. Encouraged by the response, Bengt decided to develop a medical-grade version. He brought in medtech entrepreneur Pär Andersson and industrial designer/product developer Kjell Henriksson. Together, they created FlexO2.

The weight and “clunkiness” of the original device was an issue that needed to be dealt with, and Kjell set about creating a design that was technically and functionally optimised and that would be ergonomic, tactile, light and attractive.

“It was important to me that the product should be light, easy to use, and have a rounded design with no sharp edges,” says Kjell. “ Before FlexO2, patients would often carry the weight of the long tube going to the oxygen concentrator on their ears, so I used a lanyard to hold the FlexO2 device, and the tube attached to it in.” continues Kjell.

“The colour of the FlexO2 device is also carefully selected to one that blends in with many others, making the product discrete against the patient’s clothes.”

From Homemade Prototype to Clinical Breakthrough

Since those early days, FlexO2 has gone from strength to strength. A clinical study at Karolinska University Hospital showed highly promising results. In fact, when participants were asked to stop using FlexO2 during a three-month pause in the study, nearly half chose to drop out — they simply couldn’t imagine life without it.

Patient feedback continues to affirm our mission. We regularly hear how FlexO2 restores independence and improves daily life — not only for users, but for their loved ones, too.

The trusted product is certified according to MDD class IIa 93/42/EEC and is CE-marked CE0402. Flexo2 holds patents across Europe, Australia, and the United States. Our network of distributors is growing, and an increasing number of patients experience the benefits of having the FlexO2 device.

Our goal is simple: We believe no one with a chronic respiratory condition should feel trapped by their treatment or overly dependent on others. Our mission is to give patients the freedom to live more independently, and the dignity of choice — a true freedom to breathe.