Coronavirus Update: Mahindra’s Affordable Ventilator Explained

The Indian carmaker is closer to a final design for its in-house developed ventilator machine

Mahindra had shared its prototype design for an affordable ventilator on March 26 to assist in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. This in-house design is now closer to fruition and its detailed operations have been explained in a new video shared by Pawan Goenka, Managing Director, Mahindra & Mahindra.

The Mahindra design uses a typical ambu bag, traditionally designed for hand held operation by a medical practitioner in case of emergencies, albeit with automation. While handy in tight spots, this device is not suitable when assisted respiration is required for a longer duration. Thus, hospitals use more advanced ventilators. But since those are expensive and in short supply, Mahindra’s automated ambu bag could be a useful stop-gap in offering some relief to COVID-19 patients rather than none.

Related: Mahindra Starts Assembling Face Shields In Mumbai

Mahindra’s solution is a device that holds the already proven ambu bag in place and gets pressed by a motorised clamp. The device offers a range of controls to squeeze the bag and pump air as required in varying cases. One knob controls the speed of the motor which helps control the frequency of the breaths being squeezed from the ambu bag for up to 30 breaths per minute. There is also a provision to select the volume of the air being pumped by this device, i.e., how much air is squeezed out of the ambu bag. There are only two settings for this function as of now.

The control console for this ambu bag automated respirator also gets a very important feature - the emergency stop switch. Push the big red button and the machine will pause immediately and give off a loud beep to alert medical staff. It also comes with a hand held device for the patient using it, connected to the ventilator by a lengthy cable. It has two controls - emergency stop and doctor alert, both of which will help alert any medical personnel present. Mahindra’s affordable ventilator also features an in-built logic to sound an alarm if the machine stops working on its own.

This automated ambu bag ventilator is projected to cost as low as Rs 7,500 per unit. Once approved for use by medical practitioners, Mahindra is aiming to manufacture them in large numbers to meet the urgent demand during this coronavirus crisis. Other auto industry brands across the world are also working on ways to assist their health organisations in the battle against COVID-19, especially in the development of ventilators.

Also Read: Coronavirus: Steps To Sanitize Your Car Against COVID-19

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