RespirAID
Oct 2017 - Apr 2019

In developing countries, limited access to ventilators forces healthcare workers to rely on manual resuscitation bags (MRBs). However, untrained personnel risk harming patients with high-pressure ventilation using MRBs. This challenge, coupled with the dangers of transporting critically ill patients for ventilation, highlights the need for accessible and adaptable solutions.

Patients being manually resuscitated by bystanders due to unavailability of a ventilator.

RespirAID, an automated Continuous Mandatory Ventilation (CMV) solution specifically designed for resource-limited settings. RespirAID works in conjunction with readily available MRBs, eliminating the need for additional specialized equipment. This makes it more readily deployable in resource-constrained environments. Through a combination of proximity sensors, compression force feedback, and airway sensor data, RespirAID ensures controlled and consistent ventilation regardless of the specific MRB model used. RespirAID's compact size and compatibility with various MRBs make it suitable for a wide range of settings, including ambulances, remote clinics, and crowded hospitals.

RespirAID has demonstrably improved patient care. With over 800 lives positively impacted in over 45 hospitals across India, the device has shown significant promise in reducing complications and improving survival rates, particularly for post-operative patients during weaning from ventilation.

As the design engineer, I played a crucial part in taking the product from zero to one- designing, prototyping, and validating the mechanical design and motor drive system behind RespirAID. Additionally, I contributed to the industrial design of the first version for validation testing and conducted the Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and engineering validation processes before the first patient trials.