A potential shortage of respiratory ventilators gave birth to the idea of letting two or more patients share one ventilators. This involves splitting air tubes into multiple branches so two or more patients can be connected to the same machine. You can even find a YouTube video describing this practice. In late March, at least…
Hack the crisis: Open-source site helps engineers get organized to fight COVID-19
“While there are many initiatives around the globe to encourage scientific collaboration, there is unfortunately little coordination among these teams.” So says Frédéric Vacher, Head of Innovation for the 3DExperience Lab at Dassault Systèmes. Dassault created an online Open COVID-19 Community which is designed to be a place where engineers, designers and manufacturers worldwide can…
Hack the crisis: That was fast! FDA begins approving modified bag resuscitators for use as ventilators
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has begun approving for use during the COVID-19 pandemic bag resuscitators that have been converted to respiratory ventilators. Late in March, the FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) that cleared the way for such modifications by eliminating a mandate that manufacturing facilities follow current good manufacturing practices (CGMP),…
Hack the Crisis: Low-cost ventilator initiative will address COVID-19 issues
VentLife, a non-profit under the umbrella group the Giving Back Fund, has developed a novel mechanical ventilator specifically targeted to meet the needs of COVID-19 patients. Based on first principles, with input from over a dozen medical doctors, engineers, and entrepreneurs, the device has been designed to work effectively at a low cost. The VentLife…
Better way to field ventilators fast: Refurbish old machines
A shortage of respiratory ventilators in the COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to numerous well-meaning ventures that include assembly lines converted from autos to ventilators and a DIY ventilator open-source home-project craze. But neither of these approaches are likely to do much for getting ventilators fielded fast enough to help with flu patients. GM and…
Hack the Crisis: Open-source ventilator to battle COVID-19
Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. says it has assembled an emergency ventilator inspired by the open-source MIT design to aid in the fight against COVID-19. MPS is applying its expertise in power management and motor controls toward a solution that can safely and easily automate a manual resuscitator when a full ICU ventilator may not be…
Newest shortage: Respiratory ventilator repair manuals?
The U.S. Public Interest Research Group says that many manufacturers or respiratory ventilators do not provide access to repair documentation, limiting who can repair the equipment. The advocacy group claims this practice discourages third-party medical repair companies or in-house medical engineers from trying to fix things. In that regard, USPIRG, which also sponsors a Right to Repair…
So you really want to manufacture ventilators. Here’s what you’ll have to do.
The shortage of respiratory ventilators has gotten a lot of engineers interested in how to make medical devices. Though requirements have been relaxed during the pandemic, there are still numerous hoops to jump through. On March 24, the Food and Drug Administration dropped some of the provisions to be met before firms can begin making…
CDC weighs DIY facemasks for the general public. Here’s the science behind mask materials.
It looks as though the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may end up strongly suggesting that Americans cover their faces in public until the coronavirus pandemic plays out. The Washington Post reports the recommendations now being floated would call for the use of cloth coverings instead of hard-to-find surgical and N95 masks.…