
Turn a snorkeling mask into a respiratory mask for assisted ventilation [video] - ggurgone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4Csqdxkrfw
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Tepix
Can a snorkeling mask also be used as a PAPR?

Here's a DIY project by Shen Ye:

[https://twitter.com/shen/status/1240478370619629568](https://twitter.com/shen/status/1240478370619629568)

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granjef3
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmNIEDDCqSk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmNIEDDCqSk)

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hnarn
Are people really assuming that professional, medical ventilator equipment
does nothing more than uncontrollably push air into your lungs? Spreading
potentially dangerous medical "hacks" should be illegal, "well-meaning"
hackers may cause people to harm or even kill themselves by accident. Please
let these strategies take the proper route via medical professionals.

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nico_h
According to the story the designs & 3D printing guys were contacted by a
doctor with the idea about how to re-purpose the mask

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caiobegotti
Full article in English with the video embedded and where they say they have
supposedly patented it even though it's a branded snorkeling mask from
Decathlon: [https://www.isinnova.it/easy-
covid19-eng/](https://www.isinnova.it/easy-covid19-eng/)

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kbaker
True but the patent is in good faith:

> We clarify that the patent will remain free to use, because it is in our
> intention that all hospitals in need could use it if necessary.

> We clarify that our initiative is totally non-profit, we will not obtain any
> royalties on the idea of the link, nor on the sales of Decathlon masks.

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phyzome
They can't just say "hey, we're publishing this, and this is now prior art" so
no one can patent it in the future?

(Is this a difference between the US and EU patent systems?)

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GloriousKoji
Not anymore. US used to be first to invent but switched to first to file a
some years ago.

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tzs
That doesn’t make a difference in this case. It just affects which filer gets
priority if more than one party files claiming the same invention.

The winning filer’s claim still has to meet the other requirements for a
patent, including novelty and non-obviuousness.

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coderintherye
Has anyone looked into using CPAP machines for ventilation for covid-19 cases?
They are lower pressure and only one pressure, but seems like would still be
quite useful if one didn't have a full ventilator?

I don't know how many CPAP machines there are in the US but I know three
people who each have one.

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satya71
The trouble as I understand is that CPAP aerosolizes the virus and spreads it
everywhere.

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jacobush
Still useful if you can put people in a balcony for instance, old school
sanatorium style. And what is usually called "CPAP" is actually not constant
airpressure anymore but adapts continuously with software.

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bradknowles
That would technically be an “Auto-PAP”. I have a CPAP and my doctor has
specifically said that I should stick with this technology for as long as I
can, because it will be better and more effective for me in the long run. He
said that an Auto-PAP or a Bi-PAP would be the next step, if we get to needing
pressure levels that a CPAP can’t deliver.

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jariel
What's interesting about the 'mask' concept is that it changes the nature of
intubation and invasive tubes.

Can a medical practitioner comment on the nature of the opportunity here?

Would a 'mask' be more practical for unconscious patients?

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stuckindoors
This essentially provides CPAP therapy. CPAP can be helpful but it is not a
direct replacement for ventilation/intubation.

Initial info from the intensivists (ICU docs) from Kirkland Washington suggest
that time should not be wasted with CPAP or BiPAP. These measures only
postpone the inevitable in patients with COVID-19.

Also a good percent of medical personnel were becoming infected from the
Italian data with SARS-CoV2 (10-15%). Measures like BiPAP or CPAP do can
exposure others in the room, especially with the rapid progression of this
disease and the likely need to intubate the patients and ventilate them.

That being said this is a great accomplishment and the variety of sizes these
masks come in would be helpful especially in the pediatric population. I now
have to fire up my 3D printer.

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pedrocr
What filter would be needed to make this into an N95 replacement instead?
Seems like the full face mask would make this even more effective as it also
protects the eyes.

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mirekrusin
..now we just need sodastream refills with o2 and adapter?

