An emergency field ventilator designed for 12 people

Provides basic simultaneous respiratory support for 1 to 12 people depending on respiratory mode (CPAP, BiPAP and manually determined I:E)
Patents Pending

This project was started in Louisville, Colorado on March 16, 2020. Sixteen days later, on April 1, 2020, a prototype was successfully lab tested in San Francisco, California. (Read the back story.)


In the media

Professor designs the “Mother of All RespiratorY” devices (Article on ucdenver.edu)
Doctor Creates 12-Person Ventilator (News story on CBS4 Denver)


This website provides  information about the design, development, testing and deployment of a basic respiratory support ventilator designed during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic in anticipation of a critical mechanical ventilator shortage worldwide.This design conforms with the new (enacted 26 March 2020) FDA Enforcement Policy for Ventilators and Accessories and Other Respiratory Devices During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Enough information is given on this website to allow persons with appropriate mechanical and electrical expertise to duplicate the prototype field ventilator for emergency use in areas that may not have adequate ventilator facilities to meet demand. Though functional, the prototype was intended only as a proof of concept, and significant revisions were made to allow oxygen to be safely incorporated into the design; as well as to improve the unit’s anticipated service life and flexibility in providing respiratory support for a broad range of patient conditions.

The revised Field Ventilator can also be built according to the specifications set forth on this website. However, its power module and programmable logic controller are more sophisticated than that of the prototype. All liability for construction and deployment of the field ventilator is assumed by the user of this site. See full “Legal Disclaimer” at the bottom of every page of this site.

The prototype and revised field ventilator units described on this website were designed as multi-patient units, providing manually adjustable  tidal volume control on each patient port to suit individual patient needs. It is critically important to realize that these units have not been tested on humans. The REV2 model programmatically disallows negative I:E ratios to help prevent overinflation of lungs; and both models include pressure relief on each patient port. However, misapplication and unsupervised use of any ventilator can lead to patient injury and death. 

Many areas in the world have no ventilators and surgeries are routinely performed while the patient is being manually respirated with a bag valve mask. Parts of the developing world may suffer significant loss of life during the COVID-19 pandemic. These field ventilators may provide a solution for those applications, but require further testing and clinical validation.

This ventilator was developed, and is intended for the sole purpose of providing emergency respiratory support for patients when there is no alternative solution in response to the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020; to prevent emergency medicine personnel from having to deny any patient access to a ventilator (or removing patients from a ventilator) based on social value or any other reason. Any other use of the device by any party for any reason is not covered by laws or suspension of laws and statutes developed in response to COVID-19 development.

Legal Disclaimer

The content on this website is being released in this manner to maximize the potential public benefit during this urgent need for measures to respond to the COVID-19 crisis, including promoting potential ventilator manufacturing methods.

The content has not been reviewed or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Interested readers are encouraged to contact the FDA and review available FDA materials, including their guidance on ventilators as well as the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) declaration of liability immunity for medical countermeasures against COVID-19.

PLEASE NOTE: The content has not been peer reviewed. The Authors make no representations or warranties of any kind (express or implied) relating to accuracy, safety, usefulness, usability, marketability, performance, or otherwise of the content released here. The Authors disclaim all express and implied warranties of merchantability and fitness of the content for a particular purpose, and disclaims all express and implied warranties regarding non-infringement of any patent, copyright, trademark, or other rights of third parties in the content or use of the content, or in the making, using, or selling products or services by any person or entity.

People or entities attempting to use the content in any way, including creating products or offering services, assume all risk and responsibility related to those uses, including all legal and regulatory compliance, safety, efficacy, performance, design, marketability, title, and quality. The Authors assume no liability related to the actions of third parties and in respect of any infringement of any patent, copyright, or other right of third parties.

The content has not been used in testing with humans at this time.

The Authors’ names and logos are trademarks or other exclusive property of the Authors. Readers of the content shall not use the name or logo of any Author in any way for publicity, advertising, or other commercial purposes, including linked to the reader’s products or services. Readers of the content shall not make statements or representations that, in Author’s sole judgment, deliberately or inadvertently claim, suggest, or give the appearance or impression of a relationship with or endorsement by that Author.

The Authors are proud of their affiliation with the University of Colorado as alumni and, in the case of Dr. Thomas Greany, as a professor at the Anschutz Medical Campus. The Authors express their appreciation to the University of Colorado for its support of this project.