Introduction

The surge in COVID-19 cases leading to hospitalizations around the world quickly depleted hospital resources and reserves, forcing physicians to make extremely difficult life-or-death decisions on ventilator allocation between patients.

Leaders in academia and industry have developed numerous ventilator support systems using both consumer- and industry-grade hardware to sustain life and to provide intermediate respiratory relief for hospitalized patients.

About the Book

This book is the first of its kind to discuss the respiratory pathophysiology underlying COVID-19, explain ventilator mechanics, provide and evaluate a repository of innovative ventilator support devices conceived amid the pandemic, and explain both hardware and software components necessary to develop an inexpensive ventilator support device.

This book serves both as a historical record of the collaborative and innovative response to the anticipated ventilator shortage during the COVID-19 pandemic and as a guide for physicians, engineers, and DIYers interested in developing inexpensive transitory ventilator support devices.