Need emergency help

Projects Programming
1

Hi all I am a neonatologist with 10 years of experience. Im in the process of making a prototype ventilator model. I honestly do not know where the project is going to reach, with the time constraints I have (amidst my busy duty schedule), I am giving my best try.

What has been done?: I have used a high torque low RPM (geared) DC motor, specifically a wind shield wiper motor, to power a self inflating compressor chamber. This gives volume of gas in short bursts which can be used to artificially ventilate babies (or any patients, but I basically take care of small new born babies). I am using Arduino uno board and a MOSFET to control the motor. One rotation of the coupling wheel (approximately 1.2 seconds) = One breath. Half of it is inspiration (taking in of air) and half is expiration.

What do I need ?

The software I need is for the following purpose

  1. It should be able to control the rate of cycles (one complete rotation of the coupling wheel = many rotations of the motor as it is a geared motor) per minute.

  2. During each cycle, I want to be able to change the duration of inspiration and expiration.

2

Antes de hacer nada con Arduino, asegúrese de que se puede homologar en su país, en España, ya ha habido varias iniciativas que no se han podido llevar a cabo por los problemas de homologación, se han hecho respiradores, pantallas de protección, y un sinfín de productos que en un principio se pueden utilizar para ayudar en esta emergencia, pero sin embargo cuando se ha intentado entregar, lo primero que se ha pedido es el certificado de homologación, y el certificado de poder utilizarse en la Unión Europea, sin estos documentos, todo el esfuerzo en hacer el proyecto, ha ido directamente a la basura, ( o por lo menos eso han dicho), porque se quedan con el material, requisado, para que no se pueda vender.
Por ejemplo, en España, ha habido un grupo de personas que tenían impresoras 3D, y se han puesto a imprimir pantallas de protección, han conseguido 5.000 unidades en una semana, las han levado a un Hospital de Madrid, y las han rechazado, por no estar homologadas.
En este momento, solo las empresas autorizadas por los distintos gobiernos, son las que únicamente pueden hacer este tipo de productos, por ejemplo General Motors, en Estados Unidos, SEAT, en España, y siempre después de pasar los controles de homologación.
La intención es buena, pero en la mayoría de los casos, está condenada al fracaso por la burocracia de los distintos países, y los distintos intereses económicos alrededor de ese producto.
Tenga en cuenta que cada respirador que se utiliza en una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos UCI, vale en el mercado entre 25.000 y 30.000 Euros, al cambio entre más o menos 24.000 y 29.000 Dólares USA, cuando el coste real con motores reutilizados y Arduino, no llega a los 200 € ninguno de los proyectos que se han construido en casa, con toda la buena intención, los dejan utilizar en los hospitales, por lo menos en Europa

Before doing anything with Arduino, make sure that it can be approved in your country, in Spain, there have already been several initiatives that have not been carried out by the problems of type-approval, have become respirators, screens of protection, and a host of products that in a principle can be used to assist in this emergency, but however when attempted to deliver, the first thing that has been requested is the approval certificate, and the certificate of being able to be used in the European Union, without these documents, all the effort in doing the project, it has gone straight to the trash, (or at least that's what they've said), because they keep the material, requisitioned, so that it can't be sold.
For example, in Spain, there has been a group of people who had 3D printers, and they have started printing screens of protection, they have obtained 5,000 units in a week, taken them to a Hospital in Madrid, and rejected them, because they were not approved.
At this time, only companies authorized by the different governments, are those that can only make this type of products, for example General Motors, in the United States, SEAT, in Spain, and always after passing the approval checks.
The intention is good, but in most cases, it is doomed to failure by the bureaucracy of the different countries, and the different economic interests around that product.
Please note that each respirator that is used in an ICU Intensive Care Unit, is valid on the market between 25,000 and 30,000 Euros, when the change between about 24,000 and 29,000 US Dollars, when the actual cost with repurposed engines and Arduino, does not reach 200 none of the projects that have been built at home, with all the good intentions, let them use them in hospitals, at least in Europe

3

Hi. Thank you so much for the response. I greatly appreciate you. Yes you are very right about the “regulatory requirements for health care devices” . The rules are very much similar in our country as well. I recently did a course on the same. But with a good working prototype on hand there are ways to get faster approval from authorities. I was just trying to do something in that regard.
Could you please get me the codes for such an application. I would eventually learn the Arduino coding but for now I need help... thank you

6

asesorplaza1:
without these documents, all the effort in doing the project, it has gone straight to the trash, (or at least that's what they've said), because they keep the material, requisitioned, so that it can't be sold.
For example, in Spain, there has been a group of people who had 3D printers, and they have started printing screens of protection, they have obtained 5,000 units in a week, taken them to a Hospital in Madrid, and rejected them, because they were not approved.
At this time, only companies authorized by the different governments, are those that can only make this type of products, for example General Motors, in the United States, SEAT, in Spain, and always after passing the approval checks.
The intention is good, but in most cases, it is doomed to failure by the bureaucracy of the different countries, and the different economic interests around that product.
Please note that each respirator that is used in an ICU Intensive Care Unit, is valid on the market between 25,000 and 30,000 Euros...

asesorplaza1, please don't generalize experience from Spain, which despite being hit especially hard by Covid-19, may exercise unprecedented bureaucracy and lack of flexibility while facing an imminent health care crisis, as something common for the rest of the EU, Europe, or the world in general.

To name a few examples of maker projects already helping save people's lives during the coronavirus pandemic - this despite initial lack of a certification: Slovakia is using hundreds of protective shields delivered by non-professional 3D printer owners for its health care workers and first responders; similarly in the Czech Republic, another EU member, 3D printed shields were delivered for live trials to a number of hospitals, 3D printed half-face masks developed by students and academics at the CVUT university got certified by the state administration in 3-5 days to a higher level of protection than FFP3 and are being delivered to a number of hospitals pro bono, as we speak, an automated robotic arm driven by PLCs, developed at the same university, is already amplifying the Covid-19 blood sample testing potential at the largest hospital in the country's capital.

While the original post may have shown some naivete, the OP may be coming from a country being as flexible as the ones named above, may be intending his/her project for a developing country with no certification requirements in place, or may be coming from a country in as dire a need for lung ventilators as some sub-Saharan countries with single digit numbers of these live saving devices. Or the intent was to make a DIY ventilator for OP's own or his family private use. Certification and reliability may be everyone's judgement when facing a life or death scenario of his loved ones.

Lastly, your quoted market price for a professionally made lung ventilator appears inflated. These units are offered in bulk by manufacturers in China for less than EUR 5,000. Add freight, VAT (import taxes may be waived atm) and you can buy 4 for the price you were quoting. Stock availability and shipping may be another topic, but that applies to almost any covid-response merchandise where the demand soared by hundreds or thousands of percent in recent weeks.