AmbuBox: A Fast-Deployable Low-Cost Ventilator for COVID-19 Emergent Care

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Devices
• Emergency Preparedness

Background:

• Existing low-cost ventilators often lack precision or ease of use.
• Pandemic and mass-casualty events necessitate rapid deployment of reliable respiratory support.
• Accessibility and affordability are critical factors in global healthcare solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel, low-cost, and clinically viable ventilator design named AmbuBox.
• To address limitations of current low-cost ventilator designs through improved functionality and usability.
• To facilitate rapid production and deployment during public health emergencies.

Main Methods:

• Development of a controllable pneumatic enclosure integrated with standard manual resuscitators (AmbuBags).
• Characterization and validation of a mass-producible prototype using a lung simulator in a bench test setup.
• Detailed documentation of design, operational principles, fabrication, and assembly for local manufacturing.

Main Results:

• A functional AmbuBox prototype was successfully devised, characterized, and validated.
• The design emphasizes ease of installation, operation, and high-precision flow control.
• Component list and fabrication methods are provided for low-cost, rapid production.

Conclusions:

• The AmbuBox represents a promising solution for accessible and rapidly deployable mechanical ventilation.
• Further clinical testing is planned to confirm efficacy in patient care.
• Open-access dissemination of the design supports global manufacturing efforts for emergency needs.