The rapid development of AmboVent: a simple yet sustainable ventilation solution for use in a pandemic

Abstract

Introduction

COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged at the end of 2019, generating a rapidly evolving pandemic, raising serious global health implications. Among them was the fear of a mechanical ventilator shortage due to COVID-19’s high contagion rate and pathophysiology. Fears of a ventilator shortage unleashed a wave of innovations.

Material and method

This manuscript describes the AmboVent, a ventilator, rapidly developed with a sense of urgency, by a group of Israeli volunteers.

Results

Using a decentralized approach, we worked extensively and managed within ten days to create a working ventilator. It utilizes a 64-year-old technological concept, the bag valve mask (BVM), sometimes known by the proprietary name Ambu bag, which we transformed into an automatic, controlled, and feature-rich ventilator by endowing it with contemporary computing technology.

Conclusions

Applying a functional rather than a commercial-oriented approach can result in the ad hoc development of lifesaving solutions during a rapidly spreading pandemic.

Keywords:

• Mechanical ventilation
• COVID-19
• pandemic
• communicable disease
• rapid development

Acknowledgments

The following partners have voluntarily contributed to the successful development of the device, in an open source-code mentality, and with no intellectual property claims: Unit 108 of the Israeli Air Force, Magen David Adom, (the Israeli National EMS organization), FIRST: For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology organization, Haifa Technological Center, the Israeli Association for Development and Promotion of Life-saving Solutions. and the Garage Program sponsored by Microsoft Israel, Tel Aviv (Sourasky) Medical Center (Ichilov), Hadassah Medical Center, Sherman Technological Solutions, ALON IT Consulting Ltd, Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya and many other individual professionals. We express our profound gratitude for their voluntary contribution to the AmboVent development efforts. The authors thank Margaret M. Kohn and Stephen J. Kohn for providing manuscript editing assistance.

Declaration of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.