Imperial team develops low cost emergency ventilator

Developed by a team of bioengineers and medics the JamVent system doesn’t rely on specialist parts, but can perform the demanding tasks necessary for treating patients with COVID-19.

The group claims that the device could help offer a solution to ventilator shortages worldwide, particularly for health services in developing countries, and has made the design freely available for download.

Testing of the prototype – which was developed through funding from Imperial’s COVID-19 response fund  - has shown that it can perform to MHRA specifications  and can carry out the critical functions of ICU ventilators for COVID-19 patients.

The team are working with UK-based manufacturers RPD and TestWorks, as well as groups in the USA, Australia and South America, to produce assembly-line prototypes in early May, and will seek approval from regulatory bodies, including the UK's MHRA, and the USA's FDA, for use in clinical settings.

The team is now looking for donors and healthcare providers to take the JamVent ventilator into full-scale production so it can help medics on the frontline as they battle the pandemic.