Medtronic Open Sourcing Ventilator Design Fighting COVID-19 Pandemic

Tesla Medtronic partnership  

Ramping up Production 

In response to COVID-19 Pandemic ventilator producing medical companies have been ramping up production to be able to adjust to the spike in ventilator demand. Medtronic has already announced that it will be increasing production by working 24/7 producing ventilators.

Medtronic Partnering With Tesla

In addition, Medtronic has partnered with Tesla motors to producing its top of the line Puritan-Bennett 980 ventilator. Also, they have published a series of training videos on using the ventilator and adjusting its settings.


Medtronic CEO Omar Ishrak has announced that they are open to other partnerships with other manufacturers to produce ventilators. Another announcement was that they will be open-sourcing one of their lower end ventilators to anyone who is able to produce them.


At the time we were little skeptical of the move. As usually, medical companies are very preservative about their intellectual properties. However, we didn't know which ventilator that is going to be open-source. We speculated that it will be the Puritan-Bennett 760 version, however today we had it all cleared out for us!

Medtronic Open-Sourcing PB 560

Medtronic has announced that the ventilator is the Puritan-Bennett 560. As mentioned many times earlier, medical companies are protective of their intellectual properties. Medtronic is asking the would-to-be manufacturer to label produced devices with a warning. That warning sign would be that the produced devices were manufactured in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, the regulatory approvals of the makeshift designs are not Medtronics responsibility.


According to the Medtronic website: "PB 560 product and service manuals, design requirement documents, manufacturing documents, and schematics are now available at Medtronic.com/openventilator. The PB 560 design specifications are available today, software code and other information will follow shortly."


We will be looking forward to the entire open-sourcing to be done. The service and operator manuals are now available. We get Medtronic's point of view of still wanting to protect their intellectual properties. And we respect Medtronic for stepping up and taking such an initiative. And we are looking forward to having other leading medical companies to open-source one of their low-end ventilators.

PB560 Light and Small Sized Ventilator

Snap information about the Puritan-Bennett 560

It was on the market for 10 years now and was distributed over 35 countries. Most importantly it is fitting for both Adults and Children. It is possible to use it at home in addition to having it in hospitals. We would like Medtronic to issue a series of training videos for the Puritan-Bennett 560 just like they did for the Puritan-Bennett 980.
The Puritan-Bennett 560 is a low-end ventilator, as you might have noticed from the picture, is for patients who do not need critical care. The PB 560 is a small device with limited ventilation and patient breathing assistance capabilities. On the other hand, a high volume of COVID-19 patients needs just that. Only those who develop severe symptoms need critical care and require a much more advanced ventilator like the PB 980.

What do you think of the Medtronic move to open source one of their ventilators? Have you ever worked on such a device? please comment on your thought below! 

Medtronic Tesla Partnership Producing Ventilators

Photo by Andreas Dress on

Last week there was a tweet from Elon Musk, in that week he stated that: "Tesla makes cars with sophisticated HVAC systems. SpaceX makes spacecraft with life support systems. Ventilators are not difficult but can't be produced instantly."

The Real-Life Iron Man

When I read that tweet from Elon Musk I was shocked by it! As much as I respect Elon Musk, but I felt that he was stretching his abilities. Yes, the man is visionary and has disrupted the car industry forever.

At that time my thoughts were: "Man you gotta know your limits, we need ventilators a week ago! Please don't make me lose faith in you". As for someone working in the medical industry I know, it would take ages to build a ventilator from scratch then getting it FDA approved.

Walk The Talk!

I really appreciated the reply on Elon's Musk tweet from the Mayor of New York City: "We need ventilators ASAP- we will need thousands". It felt to me like the mayor was saying walk the talk and deliver what you promised.

Great News Medtronic Europe Releases Videos about Puritan Bennett 980 Ventilator Series

CDC Corona Virus Depiction

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and its widespread across the world, a few hours before publishing this article, Medtronic Europe has decided to publish a series of videos related to training staff and nurses on operating the Puritan Bennett 980 Ventilators. This is a great step forward in helping hospitals to fight COVID-19 pandemic.
Usually, the Biomedical Department handles providing training on various medical devices available in the hospital. Either by one of the Biomed technicians or by holding training sessions provided by the supplier or distributor of that device.

Yet, since there is a huge load on the medical sector in general and the sharp ventilators demand surge has to lead us to wonder,


Who will be operating all these ventilators and will they be properly trained on operating them?

Thanking Medtronic Europe for publishing this series of videos, explaining the various operational aspects of the Puritan Bennett 980 Ventilator is not enough! We will be writing about the videos published in this article.

Puritan Bennett 980 Ventilator

What we like about the Medtronic Puritan Bennett 980 Ventilator Series is that all the videos are a few minutes of length. And are specific to a certain goal stated at the beginning of the video making it easier for the trainee to learn fast.

What we don't like about the Medtronic Puritan Bennett 980 Ventilator Series is that there are actually other ventilators produced by Medtronic. It will be useful as well to publish these videos on YouTube so that older models are also included in this training series.

Ventilator a Biomedical Point Of View

Photo by Robina Weermeijer

Ventilators are crucial machines that are one of the most important medical devices in a hospital not because of its complexity. But because it is one of the machines that are considered life-saving for patients who have trouble breathing normally.


In this article, we are not going to mention how the ventilator's preventive maintenance is done as we already covered that in a different article. But we will be shedding light on the various modes of operation in addition to explaining the various parts of a ventilator in a simplified way.


Ventilators or respirators are devices used to assist patients in ventilating their lungs and they are divided into two categories:

•         Controller ventilator
•         Assisted ventilator

For controlled ventilation, the respiratory ventilation of the patient is determined by the machine, and it sets the ventilator cycle. If the patient tried to ventilate, this will affect the machine, and it can oppose it too.

As for the "assister" mode ventilator, the respiratory ventilation is determined or controlled by the patient himself. So it assists rather than controls the patient in ventilation.

Another classification of ventilation is:

-        Negative pressure ventilation.

-        Positive pressure ventilation.

For negative pressure ventilators, which are more physiological than positive ones. A pressure, varying between atmospheric pressure and negative pressure is applied to the thorax of the patient to force him to ventilate.


For positive pressure ventilators, pressure, varying between atmospheric pressure and positive pressure, is applied and the air is blown into the lungs. Thus an exchange of gases is done in the patient's lungs.

Machine Components

•     Breathing circuit (inspiration – expiration)
•     A controlling system that defines the characteristics of the cycle used 
•     A gas supply 
•     Monitor
•     Valves, pressure sensors, and alarm systems. 

In this article, we are going to give an example of the Puritan-Bennett ventilator that is 760, Puritan Bennett is now part of Medtronic and is a specialized line for producing ventilators

Mode/breath type availability on 760 Ventilators:

•     VCV (volume control ventilation) breathe type.
•     PCV (pressure control ventilation) breathe type.
•     PSV ( pressure support ventilation) breath type (support pressure setting)
•     PSV (rise time factor and exhalation sensitivity setting)
•     SIMV (Synchronous Intermittent Mandatory Ventilation) mode
•     Apnea ventilation (choice of VCV or PCV breath type)

Functional description

By pressing keys and turning the knob on the ventilator keyboard, the operator gives initial instructions and data to the ventilator. The user interface micro-controller processes this information and stores it in the ventilator’s memory. The breath delivery micro-controller uses this stored information to control and monitor the flow of gas to and from the patient.

Biomedical Say About COVID-19 Ventilators Shortages

With the emergence of COVID-19 and its widespread around the globe, we find it as an important time for Biomedical engineers and biomedical technicians to have an impact on fighting such a pandemic.

Many hospitals around the globe have shortages in ventilators many other medical supplies that are vital in fighting this virus.

Ventilator Shortages forces Medtronic to go 24/7

Increasing Ventilators Production 

Many medical equipment companies have ramped up their production to vital medical devices to cope with the rising needs for such supplies, for example, Getinge has announced that it will increase its ventilators production by 60%. Also, we are sure that many manufacturers will follow this trend.

On the other hand, there will be logistical problems preventing or at least delaying the reach of these newly manufactured devices to where they are needed especially in countries that are far away from the production point. This is mainly because almost all types of transportation have been stopped or reduced significantly. Where the fastest way to ship such equipment via airplanes it seems that most cargo planes are no longer flying.

So will ramping up production really solve the shortage of medical supplies?

In the short term it will not, and that is related to logistical problems mainly, so what can we do and are there any alternatives?

Biomedical Department Role

The fastest alternative is to be able to optimize the performance of the ventilators that are already there in the hospital. And here where the role of a biomedical department kicks in.

Doing the needed preventive maintenance procedure on time and making sure that the end-user is using the medical equipment properly is key to optimize the performance of any medical device. Also making sure that the device's software is updated to the newest software version will many times enhance the performance of a ventilator due to bug fixes or new features that were not available in the previous software versions.

In addition to this, the biomedical department can go one step further and see if there are any older ventilators lying around in the hospital warehouse and trey to get these to a working condition, although sometimes it might be time-consuming to do so in many cases some hospitals put aside there old medical devices to make room for the newer better equipped medical device that is packed with better features and abilities, but in situations of crises, such luxury is not an option as there are patients who might lose their lives if not put on life support.

What else can a biomedical engineer do?

Baby Incubator Preventive Maintenance All You Need To Know

What is Neonatal Incubator 

Neonatal incubators or baby incubators are medical devices that were created to provide a controlled environment for newborns that require special care. An environment is generated where different variables important for the development of newborns are controlled, such as temperature, humidity, and oxygen.

Baby Incubator

The incubators consist of a transparent cover that allows isolating the patient without losing visual contact with the baby. In addition, NICU team has access to the newborn through gates that allow you to assist the baby with limiting the introduction of cold air in the incubator. 

The baby incubator's main components are a patient compartment, the cover, the mattress, the platform, the rolling base, and the control module, in which are all the parameters like temperature, humidity, and oxygen are controlled.

Commercially, the types of neonatal incubators differ in shape and form in which they are constructed or in their control and heating systems. However, all of them generally include the following basic components:

- Hood or cover made of transparent material, inside which the newborn is placed and where a controlled microclimate is generated.

- Mattress; Here the patient is placed; the mattress cover must be made of a low porosity material to facilitate cleaning and sterilization.

- Trolly; which is the structure that serves as a base and support for the Hood and its control systems. In general, this structure is incorporated with all the components that make up the incubator and allows its mobilization.

- The temperature control module, where you can select the operating mode of the incubator, and temperature set limits that the incubator is going to operate on.

- Humidifier. that usually includes water tanks to control the relative humidity of the environment.

- Port or entrance for oxygen supply.

- Block or control of alarms. Alarms pre-set at the factory or adjustable by the operator. These are audible and visible and are intended to increase patient safety during treatment. 

The alarms commonly found in the incubator models are:

- Air temperature Alarm: In relation to the temperature established by the health personnel; the alarm can be activated when the 'high/low' temperature limits sets are reached.

- Skin temperature alarm: In relation to the temperature set by the operator, the high or low-temperature alarm of the skin for the newborn can be activated.

- Sensor Alar:. It is activated in case of failure of the patient's temperature sensor.

- Air intake filters. This alarm is activated when there is resistance at the entrance to the outside airflow to the incubator.

- The concentration of O2. Detects the variation of oxygen concentration inside the incubator.

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE

Routinely inspect the patient compartment for signs of rupture and replace the assemblies before operating the incubator. In addition, you must ensure that all connections to the incubator are disconnected, especially with the oxygen supply when performing cleaning and maintenance procedures; there is a risk of fire when performing maintenance procedures in spaces containing supplemental oxygen.

What Everyone Must Know About Robotics Uses In Medical Field

What is Robotics?

Robotics or robots form an integral part of our life as most high production factories rely on machines and robots to an extent that the need for a human manpower is limited in many aspects, why not as when a robot is capable of lifting heavy objects, welding microchips and it can do the job precisely and robustly. I will not get into the debate of being pro or against such acts and its effect on the future of working forces and unemployment. But I’d like to dwell on this subject from the biomedical engineer's point of view or at least point of interest.    

Next Generation Prosthetics

What is a medical Robot? 

               The definition of a medical robot is that it’s a robot used to perform medical surgery or take part in the healing process of a patient while the definition of medical robotics is sometimes limited to robots that aid in making precise medical surgeries the definition can be a broad as including the CT scanner and C-arm. We are here interested in the effect of these robots on a biomedical engineer that is supposed to maintain fully functional medical machines by using the most effective ways to do so.

Endoscopes Preventive Maintenance

The endoscope is a high-tech equipment that allows the doctor to see the inside of the human body through a television microchip or optical fibers that collects digitized images to be observed on a monitor and printed on photographs and recorded on video.

The internal organs are seen on a screen in the operating room. The doctor may also use pliers or scissors with the endoscope to remove tissue for biopsy, which is a much less invasive method than surgery would be.

An Endoscope

Endoscopies are a growing procedure worldwide, and the equipment can be expensive for clinics or hospitals to replace. That is why, as with so many other frequently used equipment, preventive maintenance is essential to keep costs down and the accidental transfer of bacteria. Infection control is a serious matter, and only the highest level of precaution will result in the patient safety. If you are given the job to inspect and apply a full preventive maintenance procedure (PPM) then we recommend that you have a look at the IPAC PPM checklist  

Patient safety is the number one concern with any medical procedure. Infections caused by improperly cleaned endoscopes are a frightening issue in the medical community and, above all, for potential patients. When not cleaned immediately or properly, the bacteria can form a biofilm that will not clear easily when cleaned. Due to the nature of endoscope's use, there is a variety of contaminants within the flexible tubes that can be difficult to clean properly, and due to their composition, some cannot be sterilized by safety heat. This equipment is of complex design, so paying attention to details and following procedures is crucial.

The American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy notes that facilities in which a digestive endoscopy is performed must follow an effective quality control program to ensure that endoscopes are reprocessed correctly. Quality control programs for endoscopy should include systems that guarantee the availability of equipment and adequate supplies at all times, and strict procedures to report possible problems.

Preventive maintenance includes all periodic inspections of instruments and equipment, cleaning, lubrication, adjustment, verification and information of defective components that could fail, altering the operational status of the equipment before the next inspection.

Damage to an endoscope can cause costly repairs, so it is important to familiarize yourself with proper care and handling techniques. We hope these guidelines help your endoscope to function efficiently for years to come.

The best and most efficient way to clean this complicated equipment is immediately after using a pre-cleaning protocol and then a complete cleaning and disinfection or sterilization. The sequence of reprocessing of endoscopes should be as follows: Pre-cleaning, cleaning, rinse, drying, disinfection, wipe, drying and storage.

What Everyone Must Know Inside MRI Machine

What Does MRI stand for?

MRI means Magnetic Resonance Imaging, it is called this was and it is based on the usage of a magnetic field to be able to make images of various organs and parts of the body, best MRI usage can be utilized when doing brain images, tendons images, cancer cells detection, Knee images and many more organs can be scanned. Since it is not based on radioactive material MRI is considered a safe way to get organs images. those who have pacemakers and other metal-based devices are not allowed to be near MRI devices.

How Does an MRI Work?

MRI devices utilize the fact that when the hydrogen atom is magnetized, the magnetic spin of the relaxation of the hydrogen atom more precisely the proton tends to go to the positive pole more than the negative pole.

This slight variation makes it possible for the MRI to have an image acquisition by using scanners to detect such proton behavior this allows the Doctor to able to see clearly through various organs and tissues. Since Hydrogen is found in water, and water is the base of all tissues and organs image creation is possible for almost all the human body.

How long is an MRI session?

Usually, the session is between 15-30 minutes on average but this can vary based on the organ that needs to be scanned and the area that the doctor wants to see. The annoying things about this process are that the patient needs to stay still for the entire scanning process and most MRI devices are closed, so if you are claustrophobic that would be a problem, however, now there are open MRI devices that can be less annoying to patients.

The Pea Pod® Baby Body Composition Analysis

The Pea Pod®

Consistently, one out of each nine infants in the U.S. is conceived untimely and can invest a long time in the neonatal emergency unit. Presently innovation is helping preemies and sending them home sooner.

The ability to assess the composition of the neonatal body is essential to see how fetal exposures to nutrients, hormones and ecological variables are identified with the state of the healthy baby, the development and progress of infections at some point along the way.

The Pea Pod®