NASA's Human-Powered Ventilator Webinar

Innovators at NASA Johnson Space Center have created a human-powered ventilator that utilizes hand-pump motions, rather than hand or wrist motions such as with a Bag Valve Mask (BVM), to help stabilize respiratory distress in a patient, without electricity. By using an arm-pumping motion to operate the accordion-like ventilator, minimally trained operators can provide respiration to a patient on space-based missions with greater endurance. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, this device was reengineered for terrestrial applications in areas where electrically powered ventilators are nonexistent or in short supply. The ventilator is designed to be made of parts that are portable and inexpensive to manufacture as well as simple to assemble and use. This allows for rapid deployment to areas in need such as resource-poor localities or for use by minimally trained personnel, allowing for quick availability to areas in need.

You can read more about the technology here.

During the webinar, you will learn about this new technology as well as how NASA’s technologies and capabilities are available to industry and other organizations through NASA’s Technology Transfer Program.