A Low-cost, Automated, Portable Mechanical Ventilator for Developing World

ABSTRACT

A large portion of world's population, especially in developing world, gets affected by the respiratory diseases. Often these patients need a medical device called a ventilator for assistance with their breathing. The ventilator is an expensive and complicated equipment and is often unavailable to patients, leading to severe complications and mortality. In this paper, we present a system that automates the use of a conventional bag valve mask (BVM) and regulates its operation to mimic the response of an ICU Ventilator for life saving applications. The system consists of motorized actuators, sensors, valves and a control system to achieve controlled volume ventilation. This paper presents system design and implementation techniques for this low-cost design. The system has been tested extensively using ventilator testers and is being developed into a product for use in under-resourced settings.