Michal Swoboda

Y-Vent is a pressure-triggered, 3D printable, disposable, emergency ventilator. The device has no moving parts and consists of 2 pieces of plastic. It can be powered from standard hospital compressed air supply, a CPAP blower, or even an air compressor (with appropriate filtering).

The design has been created as a last resort ventilator for major clinical centers in Philadelphia. After rigorous testing and review by physicians at University of Pennsylvania, the design has been accepted as Tier 3 (last resort) pandemic ventilator.

The design is based on a well-known fluidic behavior known as the Coanda effect and an architecture similar to military resuscitation respirators developed in the 60s.

I released this design as an open-source device with all files available in the attached GitHub link. Aside from being developed to address drastic equipment shortages, this project has been created to provide an alternative to the open-source community for incredibly dangerous home built ventilators.

yVent design consists of two pieces of plastic which can be 3D printed or CNC milled. As long as the geometry of the parts is maintained, the design is inherently safe. The geometry of the part dictates the primary operating characteristics of this ventilator including the pressure limits, respiratory rate, and pressure support during active breathing. When used for COVID patients, the device can be powered from a compressed oxygen supply delivering a prescribed concentration of oxygen at adjustable pressures ranging from 5cmH2O to 40 cmH2O as well as PEEP ranging from 3cmH2O to 20cmH2O. After use the device can be discarded, reducing equipment contamination concerns.