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I use a CPAP machine. It is not a ventilator but the blower motor and various sensors are easily available on Aliexpress but it is the software that decides th

I use a CPAP machine. It is not a ventilator but the blower motor and various sensors are easily available on Aliexpress but it is the software that decides the correct airflow pressure at the right time when an apnea event occurs that is the secret sauce that needs to be clinically approved. I presume the same for a ventilator - the software that helps the respiratory therapist to monitor the patient.

dmix 7y ago
There was a conversation recently on HN that I can’t find just now, where an expert claimed a DIY ventilator project will most likely only create a ‘glorified CPAP machine’ and that real hospital ventilators are much more complicated and require specially trained people to use properly, as they can be very dangerous. Not to dissuade anyone from trying to make open source ones a reality in the long run though...
- Gravityloss 7y ago
  CPAP machines are probably still needed more in this pandemic, there will be a lack of them as well, and having more available will save lives. (I'm not a doctor.) AFAIK they've run out of even basic medical oxygen delivery capacity in many places in Italy, which is even simpler than CPAP.
- djdkrkfkgk 7y ago
  Italians are using CPAP machines for serious (but not critical) cases.
- inferiorhuman 7y ago
  real hospital ventilators are much more complicated and require specially trained people to use properly, as they can be very dangerous This is all quite true, however from the sound of things places like New York City need both ventilators and staff.
hcrisp 7y ago
ResMed is a big manufacturer of CPAP machines as well as ventilators, and is the only US-based company listed in this Reuters article about ramping up ventilator production [0]. It says, "ResMed has reallocated resources away from producing other devices to meet demand that is more than four times normal levels". So it's possible they are making fewer CPAP machines and more ventilators. [0] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-ventilators-insigh/army-joins-the-production-line-as-ventilator-makers-scramble-to-meet-demand-idUSKBN2180JU https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-ventil...

dmix 7y ago

There was a conversation recently on HN that I can’t find just now, where an expert claimed a DIY ventilator project will most likely only create a ‘glorified CPAP machine’ and that real hospital ventilators are much more complicated and require specially trained people to use properly, as they can be very dangerous. Not to dissuade anyone from trying to make open source ones a reality in the long run though...

Gravityloss 7y ago
CPAP machines are probably still needed more in this pandemic, there will be a lack of them as well, and having more available will save lives. (I'm not a doctor.) AFAIK they've run out of even basic medical oxygen delivery capacity in many places in Italy, which is even simpler than CPAP.
djdkrkfkgk 7y ago
Italians are using CPAP machines for serious (but not critical) cases.
inferiorhuman 7y ago
real hospital ventilators are much more complicated and require specially trained people to use properly, as they can be very dangerous This is all quite true, however from the sound of things places like New York City need both ventilators and staff.

hcrisp 7y ago

ResMed is a big manufacturer of CPAP machines as well as ventilators, and is the only US-based company listed in this Reuters article about ramping up ventilator production [0]. It says, "ResMed has reallocated resources away from producing other devices to meet demand that is more than four times normal levels". So it's possible they are making fewer CPAP machines and more ventilators. [0] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-ventilators-insigh/army-joins-the-production-line-as-ventilator-makers-scramble-to-meet-demand-idUSKBN2180JU https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-ventil...