MIT’s E-Vent project
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is touting its emergency ventilator (E-Vent) project, which has led to the development of a product MIT has submitted to the FDA for emergency use authorization.
Researchers at MIT identified the possibility of manual ventilation with a manual resuscitator (Ambu-bag) as a low-cost, short-term solution in a critical care environment. While automating the process appears to the researchers as the simplest strategy that can be rapidly manufactured in large quantities, they noted that doing this safely is not trivial.
Any solution should be used only in a healthcare setting while being monitored directly by a clinical professional, the researchers said. MIT’s E-Vent can’t replace FDA-approved ICU ventilators in terms of functionality, flexibility and clinical efficacy, but it could be useful in helping to free up existing supply, or in life-or-death situations with no other option.
MIT said it is currently producing four sets of material:
- Minimum safe ventilator functionality based on clinical guidance.
- Reference hardware design for meeting minimum clinical requirements.
- Reference control strategies and electronics designs and supporting insights.
- Results from testing in animal models.
