Emergency Ventilators

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a shortage of ventilators is one of the most pressing needs facing hospitals worldwide. It has been estimated that the COVID-19 pandemic could result in a worldwide ventilator shortage of 300,000 units or more. While conventional ventilator production is ramping up, it will likely fall short of meeting the demand in time, while costing billions of dollars.

In response, engineers at universities across the country have created alternative designs that can be assembled and deployed rapidly and inexpensively. In general, they are based on the automatic actuation of a manual resuscitator. Following are links to information for just a sampling of these open source designs, which are being posted online.

PLEASE NOTE: These designs are intended for implementation only by experienced clinical engineers to expand access to ventilators on an emergency basis. Since automatic ventilation requires continuous, direct monitoring of multiple parameters (including volume, pressure, rate, and inspiration/expiration ratio) they should only be used in a healthcare setting under the supervision of a clinical professional.