The Conventor

Information updated: April 24th 2020

This is an AmbuBag device.

The emergency ventilator alternative device uses an electrically powered robotic arm to mechanically compress an off-the-shelf adult resuscitation bag. The device is an entirely mechanical solution and can also be configured with airflow accessories in multiple ways to best accommodate on-the-ground needs at different clinical facilities.

This is a Volume Control Ventilation (VCV) device.

Dr. Stephen Richardson, a cardiac anesthesiologist at the University of Minnesota, first built the makeshift ventilator from $150 in parts found in the University’s medical device lab, with a motor ripped from another device and a red metal toolbox tray as its base. It was designed as an alternative for clinical settings with a significant surge in patients or with few to no ventilators. After being authorized for use under the FDA's Emergency Use Authorization for the COVID-19 outbreak, the design was shipped to Boston Scientific, who plan to manufacture 3,000 devices for deployment.

THIS DEVICE HAS FDA EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION

Publicly available: No
Countries where available: The devices will be shipped to geographies where ventilators are urgently needed (as determined by UnitedHealth Group, Medtronic and the University of Minnesota) and any remaining devices will be offered as a donation to the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile.
Price range: Over 200 USD
Offered or can be licensed for local manufacture: Yes

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