COVID-19 Respirators

During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals across the UK, especially in London, experienced a shortage of ventilators. This project explored whether sleep respirators could be adapted to increase oxygen concentration and help reduce pressure on critical care systems.

Royal Brompton Hospital invited me, as a volunteer, to investigate the potential of increasing the oxygen concentration to 80% for their home ventilators. The aim was to create a temporary solution which would support patients and relieve demand on hospital ventilators during peak periods.

We developed a system using an artificial lung and a custom attachment fitted to the respirator exhaust. This allowed air to be recycled while introducing an additional oxygen supply to increase concentration.

The system achieved oxygen levels of 60-70%, depending on the machine. While this did not meet the 80% target or replace hospital ventilators, it demonstrated potential to reduce strain on critical care systems.

To support rapid rollout, we used a resin 3D printer with medical-grade materials and optimised the design for this manufacturing method. The findings were documented and published to enable wider adaptation.