UCLA Engineering Graduate Student Develops Low-Cost Ventilator

UCLA electrical engineering graduate student Glen Meyerowitz is developing a low-cost ventilator in collaboration with medical professionals at UCLA Health. The device is a much simpler version of ventilators used at hospitals. It is designed to address specific COVID-19 symptoms such as the acute respiratory distress syndrome or ARDS.

“The COVID-19 crisis propelled me into action and in a matter of days, I went from knowing nothing about lungs or ventilators to discussing the technical and clinical requirements for mechanical ventilators with dozens of clinicians and medical professionals,” said Meyerowitz, who is also a UCLA Biodesign Fellow. “Within a week, I put together a functional proof of concept for a simplified ventilator designed around the need of COVID-19 patients.”

The prototype showed promising results and Meyerowitz has started working with companies on manufacturing a medical-grade design for testing at UCLA Health. Here is coverage of the prototype by Time, NBC4, CBS2 and Los Angeles Business Journal.

If you’d like to help Meyorwitz with the purchase of medical-grade components and unit-testing, please consider a contribution to any amount through UCLA Spark, the university’s crowdfunding platform.