Low-tech solutions for the COVID-19 supply chain crisis

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Device Development
• Open-Source Hardware

Background:

• Growing need for accessible medical equipment in diverse healthcare settings.
• Emergence of the maker movement and its potential contribution to healthcare solutions.
• Challenges in deploying and scaling 'low-tech' medical device solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the global initiative of reverse-engineering commercial medical equipment.
• To emphasize the importance of standardized, approved designs for 'low-tech' medical solutions.
• To explore the intersection of the scientific community and maker movement in healthcare.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of ongoing global collaborative projects in medical device reverse-engineering.
• Review of the maker movement's role in developing and disseminating medical technologies.
• Assessment of factors influencing the successful implementation of open-source medical hardware.

Main Results:

• Significant global activity in reverse-engineering medical devices is observed.
• The maker movement is actively contributing to the creation of alternative medical equipment.
• The impact of these solutions is contingent upon the adoption of approved, standardized designs.

Conclusions:

• Standardized and approved designs are crucial for the widespread adoption and effectiveness of reverse-engineered medical devices.
• Collaboration between the scientific community and maker movement can accelerate the availability of essential medical equipment.
• Further research is needed to establish best practices for the development and validation of 'low-tech' medical solutions.