University Of Minnesota Doctor Creates Simpler, Cheaper Ventilator - WCCO News

[mzmolly]

Last edited Mon Mar 23, 2020, 10:46 PM - Edit history (1)

https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/03/22/u-of-m-cardiac-anesthesia-fellow-creates-simple-cheaper-ventilator/
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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — As spread of COVID-19 continues throughout the country, demand for medical ventilators could skyrocket.

Many are already expressing concerns about potential shortages, but there’s a doctor at the University of Minnesota who says he just created a simpler, cheaper ventilator that could save lives.

Related: Coronavirus Resources

Univeristy of Minnesota Anesthesiology fellow Dr. Steve Richardson started work on his ventilator last Sunday, sourcing equipment and resources from biomedical engineer friends and other private companies.

Within hours of starting, Richardson finished a simple, effective prototype that he is now perfecting.

More at link above.

Edited to add link to donate: https://crowdfund.umn.edu/?cfpage=project&project_id=35358&t=1585019092

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. The mother of invention... People are rising to the occasion

even if Trump is doing his best to kill us,

[mzmolly]

2. Thank goodness,

given we have a lunatic in charge of the national response.

[paleotn]

5. My thoughts exactly.

[Hoyt]

3. You can bet the traditional ventilator companies are lobbying FDA right now to delay approval.

[mzmolly]

4. Ugh.

I hope not.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

13. This device probably is intended only for emergency use,

and won't have the bells and whistles of the existing ventilators. There will still be a market for those (and they can't make them fast enough to sell them anyhow).

[customerserviceguy]

29. I don't want to be cynical

But you've forced me into that position. Sadly, I fear that you are correct.

[mitch96]

34. Exactly!! This would cut into their profits and that simply won't do..........

To hell with the people it will help. They have corporate sponsors and share holders to think of..
fuckers..
m

[DENVERPOPS]

44. OR:

Trying to steal the design out from under him, patent it first and make a fortune the normal corrupt way......

[Hoyt]

48. "Normal corrupt way." LOL

[DENVERPOPS]

50. Look no farther than Sears

A guy invents a wrench with a radical new feature. He isn't even employed by Sears in their product design or development. He takes it to Sears and they discount that it is that big a deal, but pay him a trivial amount for his idea, immediately patent it, put it into production. Over the next few years, Sears makes HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS IN PROFITS off that employee's revolutionary designed wrench. Some lawyer and this guy go after Sears. The Jurors awarded him Millions for Sears unscrupulous actions in screwing him over........Sears didn't even bother appealing the judgement.....they merely went on their merry way collecting profits for decades to follow..........

The law firm that represented Sears? Dewey, Fukem, and Howe......

[malaise]

59. THIS

Always follow the money

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. More about the device here:

https://coventors.com/

About the size of a cereal box. Genius.

[mzmolly]

7. Isn't it?

Thanks for sharing the link.

[dweller]

10. can use ambient air !

def home use potential

✌🏼

[MustLoveBeagles]

15. Thank you for the link

[mitch96]

39. This thing is a hoot!! It uses a common hospital manual ventilator aka a AMBU bag...

and a rotating accentric to move a piston.
Instead of you squeezing a bag with your hands, the rotating arm squeezes it for you.. Brilliant.
Just hook it up to a O2 supply and your set...This setup probably costs less than $100 to make..
m

[Brother Buzz]

60. This is a game changer and KISS totally applies

Crank a zillion of these out, and they might even be used in non-hospital settings, alleviating the crunch.

[tblue37]

8. K&R for visibility. nt

[Leghorn21]

9. Hey, Dr. Richardson

We are so grateful to you and your colleagues

THANK YOU 🙏

[hlthe2b]

11. Thank heavens, this is an ACTUAL MECHANICAL VENTILATOR. I am so frustrated with the

the conflation of passive anesthetic machines with what MOST of the worst-case patients will need--actual assisted mechanical ventilation. The former can surely deliver added oxygen, but only if their lungs are sufficient to breathe on their own with adequate inspiratory efforts and tidal volumes.

I was afraid to watch, but am reassured and happy to see this anesthesiologist doing his best to innovate a solution.

[mzmolly]

12. I'm glad to hear it.

I have no expertise, but find it interesting that this 'quick' solution, could be superior in ways.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

30. Air in and out in a rythmn?

[MustLoveBeagles]

14. K&R

[42bambi]

16. Thank you to all our quiet unseen hero's.

[KewlKat]

17. Get thee to Bloomberg! He could fund the project. Anyway we can get Mike's ear?

[mzmolly]

18. Good question.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

20. According to the video they are looking for manufacturing partners

that can get these things built in large quantities - they didn't seem to be looking for money. The devices look to be just a few feet of sheet metal, a motor and some valves and clamps.

[KewlKat]

21. In the article it did mention funds as well.

If you would like to donate resources, supplies, research, manpower or funds to continue this project, visit coventors.com

[scarletwoman]

24. They are definitely looking for donations - see link below:

https://crowdfund.umn.edu/?cfpage=project&project_id=35358&t=1585019092

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

25. Missed that. I'm sure they'd be glad for contributions

as well as manufacturing help. Whatever it takes to make these things available quickly.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

28. ?? Only $1000 raised

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

31. This just went up - the doctor just made the thing over the weekend.

I'm sure there will be more contributions as the video gets more viewers.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

33. Just tweeted. Thanks!!.

[mzmolly]

36. Thank you for sharing this.

I’ve added it to the OP.

[scarletwoman]

40. Cool! (nt)

[KewlKat]

19. K&r

[turbinetree]

22. You know what he and the team should get the Nobel Prize.......................

[KewlKat]

23. I emailed Gov Inslee and will try to find info to email Gov Cuomo

Someone needs to jump on this and make it happen. This is life saving for us over 65ers.

[mzmolly]

32. Awesome!

[wnylib]

43. I looked for email for Cuomo.

Did not find it. But, website for Andrew M Cuomo has links st the bottom to Twitter and Facebook for him. Or try reaching Chris Cuomo, his brother, at CNN.

At Twitter, he is: NYGovCuomo

At Facebook: GovernorAndrewCuomo

NYS government phone number in Albany:
518.474.8390

[KewlKat]

54. I just sent a message thru that FB account.

Please get this to your acquisition folks. This is a recent invention by a group of talented staff at Univ of MN. They were featured on CBS earlier this week.

HERE IS THE INFO ON THE VENTILATOR - In response to Covid-19, the University of Minnesota has built a homemade ventilator. This device represents a rapidly scalable opportunity for healthcare providers to provide life sustaining mechanical ventilation to patients for whom no other option currently exists. The mechanical ventilator is simple to use for ICU-trained medical providers, it is compact (the size of a cereal box) and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and distribute. This device does not require a pressurized oxygen or air supply unlike commercially available mechanical ventilators. He said they could produce thousands in 3 wks if they can get the FDA to approve.

Dr. Richardson acknowledges, "This is not a ventilator that anyone would choose if they had a high-end alternative, but it could be a backup, or its plans could be distributed online so hospitals could build their own."

These ventilators are designed to be used under very specific circumstances, i.e., where bag-valve mask (BVM) ventilation is not contraindicated and where trained medical staff can supervise the machine. If BVM is the only available option due to a shortage of more sophisticated ventilators, this will be an option. Human-administered BVM ventilation is not going to be possible with the expected volume of patients, and with the possible need to ventilate them 24/7 for days.

[wnylib]

61. Thank you on behalf of us here in NY.

Hope the governor's staff brings it to his attention quickly. We are desperate. I wonder if contacting Chris Cuomo at CNN would increase the chances that Governor Andrew Cuomo would get the word. Journalists are always seeking new info. Andrew and Chris are brothers, sons of a prior NY governor, Mario Cuomo.

You can reach Chris by entering "Contact Chris Cuomo" in a search. That is the name of a website that allows you to leave him a message. The site requires you to give your contact info.

[scarletwoman]

26. Wonderful! Thank you!

And, Welcome Back! Haven't seen you in ages!

[mzmolly]

35. Thank you!

I forgot my password for a time, but lurked a bit.


Nice to ‘see’ you too!

[scarletwoman]

38. I'm glad you found your password!

I really am happy to know you're around again!

[mzmolly]

41. Awww thank you!

I had all saved on a computer that crashed. 😆

[dflprincess]

45. Ditto what Scarletwoman said

Glad to see you back!

[wnylib]

27. Trump will try to get exclusive rights to it.

[C Moon]

37. Yep. He'll pay billions of tax dollars for it, and sit on it.

[mitch96]

42. Catch and Kill??? The Bio Medical Lobby is probably having a fit.. nt

[BlueIdaho]

46. Give the good doctor the Medal of Freedom

Not that pustule Limbaugh.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

47. Kick

[KewlKat]

49. Kick for crowdfund source in OP

[mitch96]

51. Another low cost ventilator from Whales. took 'em three days to build

Another great idea...

https://tinyurl.com/wdjv3j9

m

[KewlKat]

53. It looks more like a CPAP machine? I know I have two and if we have to, we'll use them for us

[mitch96]

56. Sounds good and where are you gonna get the oxygen?

Vents work b/c they force in pressurized over oxygenated air in to the lungs. Thats what keeps your blood oxygen levels up. Got to keep the blood 02 up. Very rarely did we just use room air...
If you have access to O2 I say go for it.. if you or yours need it..
m

[KewlKat]

52. I've not given up on this invention. I've sent info to the governors offices in WA and NY.

I've phoned the WA Health Dept and relayed all the information I had. I've sent my hopes to Dr Richardson that he reach out to NY and WA and other states that are short on ventilators.

If I hear nothing back today, I'm contacting my local paper.

Fingers crossed.

[mzmolly]

58. That's amazing!

Thank you!

[krawhitham]

55. looks a little medieval

But whatever it takes at this point, the administration will be of no help

[KewlKat]

57. they keep changing it up each day. Last I heard they're on version 4