ASU’s IHub Just Announced a Ventilator Design Challenge to Help COVID-19 Patients

Ain Shams University’s Innovation Hub (aka IHub) just announced a Ventilator Design Challenge in light of the current need to help critically ill COVID-19 patients breathe and recover from the virus.

The challenge, organised specifically by Ain Shams University’s Design House, calls for a team of three - made up of a communication representative, a medical lead, and a technical/engineering lead - to create a simple, sustainable, locally manufactured ventilator design that would provide life support for Coronavirus patients in Egypt. The design must follow the guidelines of clinically acceptable ventilators used in UK hospitals during the current COVID-19 outbreak.

The challenge was inspired by a similar, recently announced ventilator design challenge at Canada’s McGill University, but aims to make complete use of local Egyptian resources in the making of the machine.

The need for low-cost and affordable ventilators has risen exponentially at a worldwide scale since the outbreak of COVID-19, and technologies such as 3D printers can now be used to rapidly and cost-efficiently produce equipment to battle this strain.

The 12 participating teams are tasked to deliver the full design by April 20th, and the winners of the EGP 100,000 prize will be announced by May 21st. After winners are announced, the top three designs will be manufactured and tested before finalising the design.

ASU’s Design House experts will provide guidance and mentorship to the teams throughout the process, while funding will be provided by the Academy for Scientific Research & Technology (ASRT). There will also be an advisory panel made up of engineering and medical professionals, including CEO of Si-Vision Mohamed Mohsen and Professor of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology at ASU Mohamed Saad Hamed. 

You can find more details on the challenge at ihub.asu.edu.eg