3SILK Water Driven Ventilator (WDV)
As COVID-19 spread and various groups began working on improvised ventilators to address what was seen as an impending ventilator crisis, we noticed that improvised ventilator designs were typically Ambu-Bag squeezers with machined parts, microprocessors and actuators.  Unfortunately, these designs did not lend themselves to high quantity manufacturing, regulatory approval, low cost or accessibility to the public.  COVID-19 standards of care have changed to include earlier non-invasive breathing assistance such as CPAP and BiPAP.  The WDV is intended for patients that could benefit from non-invasive breathing assistance but have not developed ARDS and was not designed to ventilate patients with an artificial airway.  The WDV is an open-source, non-invasive, water or electrical pump driven BiPAP type ventilator for austere environments.  It can be constructed and utilized by people with minimal fabrication and clinical skills using inexpensive COTS parts from a hardware store thereby eliminating supply chains and making availability nearly universal.  We do not warranty the design or make claims of efficacy.  The WDV is intended to be a highly-accessible, non-invasive ventilator and is to be interpreted, constructed, modified, and utilized at the user’s risk.  The design is intended for use with an Ambu-bag or BiPAP face mask and valve assembly with an integrated over-pressure relief valve to protect patients from pressure related injuries.