Challenge to Pelican Engineering -> Let's design and build an open-source Ventilator!

[Wayne 962]

Okay. I stumbled upon this in some of the 100+ hours of reading I've done over the past 14 days:

https://www.instructables.com/id/The-Pandemic-Ventilator/

This is a great start. Do you think the collective smart community here can design and make one of these that could be 3D printed and assembled by a small army of people with 3D printers?

They are making life or death choices in Italy right now with patients because they don't have enough ventilators.

Thoughts?

-Wayne

[sammyg2]

There are millions of CPAP machines out there, most are adjustable.
Good place to start.

[island911]

Way to kill a thread Sammy

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

There are millions of CPAP machines out there, most are adjustable.
Good place to start.

Great idea! We need a source of the software to adjust the pressure. It’s probably on line somewhere already.

[pwd72s]

Put MIT and Cal Tech on the problem. Should be solved in a week or two. Wayne, have you contacted MIT? I understand it remains in contact with alums beyond just asking for donations.

[LWJ]

I have a buddy who used to license tech from MIT.

Email to follow.

What a killer idea.

Congrats!

edit- email sent. Let's see what happens. This is cool.

[DonDavis]

I worked at a hospital as a Biomedical Engineering Technician for 4 years.
There were two types of devices I never enjoyed working on...
Anesthesia machines and ventilators. We left those on contract and let the OEM maintain them 100%.

The technology fascinates me, but to put a person on the edge of death intentionally was just not in my comfort zone.

I’ll be watching the discussion here.

[LWJ]

Google search found this: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/xwjd4w/im-possibly-alive-because-it-exists-why-sleep-apnea-patients-rely-on-a-cpap-machine-hacker

[island911]

Originally Posted by Wayne 962

..

Thoughts?

-Wayne

Here's a thought. File it under "no good deed goes un-punished."

Build a non-FDA approved ventilator and you WILL be sued.

Just a thought.

[93nav]

If you are serious, these guys are at least a week ahead of you/us/Pelican. They are working on more than just ventilators. I, unfortunately, have no skills to contribute.

https://www.projectopenair.org/

This is their 'collaboration' website. Link does not get you to the start of the page, but....

https://app.slack.com/client/TUTSYURT3/CUWCSK5LK/thread/CUWCSK5LK-1584310490.332400

[Scott Douglas]

Modifying the CPAP machines is a good idea since there are so many of them already and there's a production line to make them.


Just a note: None of the links above in any of the posts got me anywhere. ie they didn't work except for Wayne's.

[sammyg2]

There are 25 CPAP machines for sale on craigslist Orange county, probably a go-zillion of em sitting in people's closets that aren't used anymore. I have a spare machine just in case.
cheeeep and readily available.
Now watch, some doosh will try to hoard them all

If nothing else, maybe they could be used as a stop-gap for people who need respiratory assistance but aren't bad enough to need a full-blown ventilator yet.

[Wayne 962]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Put MIT and Cal Tech on the problem. Should be solved in a week or two. Wayne, have you contacted MIT? I understand it remains in contact with alums beyond just asking for donations.

Sure am, but this is more oriented towards this crowd. I mean, these things are relatively simple. I’m not even sure what a cpap machine is - I’ll have to google that when I get back from my bike ride (got to escape the kids and get the BP down)

Wayne

[Wayne 962]

Quick google search:

https://www.ethics.va.gov/LST/MechanicalVentilationInformation.pdf

Wayne

[Scott Douglas]

It's a device for sleep apnea.

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Great idea!

The UK government has put out requests for more ventilators to be made/built

In the UK I know of one F1 team (i'm sure others are doing the same or will get involved) that has been sent ventilator blueprints so the team can manufacture parts, procure parts using their supplier base and review the design so the machine can be improved

One thing a F1 team is very good at doing is designing/manufacturing complex parts very quickly and accurately, as in days vs weeks compared to other engineering industries

[Won]

Great idea! I also like the idea of taking an existing product and "hacking" it. Too bad first thing you need to do is worry about getting sued...

I can draw anything in CAD but I have never seen a ventilator or its components before. I have the capacity and capability but will need input from someone who knows what it is that we need to make.

Separately: The UK government asked for the manufacturing sector to use their capacity to help produce ventilators. The last time they asked for similar favours, I think it was for Spitfires and Merlins. F1 teams are looking into it. I volunteered my time and hope for once in my life I can do something meaningful for humanity. To be continued.

Italian companies are doing it:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-51911070


Edit: looks like Captain and I were typing at the same time!

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Originally Posted by Won

Separately: The UK government asked for the manufacturing sector to use their capacity to help produce ventilators. The last time they asked for similar favours, I think it was for Spitfires and Merlins. F1 teams are looking into it. I volunteered my time and hope for once in my life I can do something meaningful for humanity. To be continued.

That's two F1 teams then

[93nav]

Low-cost ventilator wins Sloan health care prize | MIT News

Originally Posted by Wayne 962

Quick google search:

https://www.ethics.va.gov/LST/MechanicalVentilationInformation.pdf

Wayne

[Won]

Originally Posted by Captain Ahab Jr

That's two F1 teams then

Hopefully more

The Pandemic Ventilator schematic doesn't show active extraction circuit, but I would think that's a critical function especially if the patient can't support breathing on their own?

But then, you would need to meter the air both ways so you don't over-inflate or over-extract?

Does anyone here know?