The device can be produced with off-the-shelf components at a cost of under $300. Source: Rice UniversityDesign plans for an emergency ventilator developed at Rice University are now open source. The device, which can be produced with off-the-shelf components at a cost of under $300, was developed by students and has been brought up to medical grade by engineers and doctors

The ApolloBVM is an automated bag valve mask (BVM) system that can deliver continuous hospital-grade mechanical ventilation for COVID-19 patients for whom a standard hospital ventilator is not available. The device is powered by 120 V AC with a less than 15 W power draw and compresses the BVM with a mechanical system to provide consistent and accurate ventilation with positive-pressure. A dual rack-and-pinion mechanical design converts the rotational motion of motors into translational motion for bag compression.

A prototype delivered nonstop air for 24 hours in tests conducted with an artificial lung. Clinical tests are expected to begin in the near term as the developers collaborate with manufacturers to accelerate production of a hospital-grade system.