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Updated: Oct 22, 2025

Mechanical Ventilation Boot Camp Curriculum
Published on: March 12, 2018
A Simple Ventilator Designed To Be Used in Shortage Crises: Construction and Verification Testing
Daniel S Akerib1, Andrew Ames1, Martin Breidenbach1
1SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Palo Alto, CA United States.
Background:
The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the possibility of severe ventilator shortages in the near future.
Objective:
We aimed to develop an acute shortage ventilator.
Methods:
The ventilator was designed to mechanically compress a self-inflating bag resuscitator, using a modified ventilator patient circuit, which is controlled by a microcontroller and an optional laptop. It was designed to operate in both volume-controlled mode and pressure-controlled assist modes. We tested the ventilator in 4 modes using an artificial lung while measuring the volume, flow, and pressure delivered over time by the ventilator.
Results:
The ventilator was successful in reaching the desired tidal volume and respiratory rates specified in national emergency use resuscitator system guidelines. The ventilator responded to simulated spontaneous breathing.
Conclusions:
The key design goals were achieved. We developed a simple device with high performance for short-term use, made primarily from common hospital parts and generally available nonmedical components to avoid any compatibility or safety issues with the patient, and at low cost, with a unit cost per ventilator is less than $400 US excluding the patient circuit parts, that can be easily manufactured.
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