The following is basically a copy of a post I made on another forum -
It may well come to this - home brew ventilators -
https://www.inquirer.com/health/coro...omo=newsletter I am mechanically inclined enough to do minor wood and metal projects around the house. I am of the opinion that the virus is going to overwhelm the health care system in a very short amount of time. There will be many more people needing ventilators than there is a supply. That being the case, 'You're on your own" takes on a whole new meaning.
From the above link, a mechanical ventilator needs to supply about 400 milliliters — a little more than a soda can’s worth - of air. More may damage the lungs.
See -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J0d59dd-qMpaying particular attention to the doctor's comments on getting 'tired out.' This is at about 22 minutes in, and describes the muscular effort required to breath. It's like curling a barbell a thousand times - the abdominal muscles just can't do it.
Is there a way to home produce something that would force air into the lungs mechanically? The hard parts, as I see it are -
- One-way valves to direct air into a pump, then close
- some kind of a bladder to collect air and pump it with the assistance of a lever
Any ideas? We may be needing them.