MetaFix Ortho is a healthcare startup incubated at Symbiosis Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation that aims in providing customized healthcare solutions and have often used 3D printed parts in providing a solution.
With this COVID-19 outbreak, and knowing the lack of medical infrastructure and life support devices that India has, MetaFix team planned to work on development of rapidly deployable ventilators, which is an open source project and takes reference from various designs from different countries. This gave arise to two Projects: RESP19 and VENT19.
RESP19 is meant to automate the AMBU (Artificial Manual Breathing Unit) bag type of ventilator and the team has tried to incorporate electronic control and sensors to equip it with more controlled parameters, like Volume control, Manual as well as automatic Breathe per minute, Humidifier. This is not an ICU device, but is aimed to be a FIELD EMERGENCY VENTILATOR(FEV) and cater the need that may arise in case of surge of COVID19 patients, and hence kept simple so that it can be assembled locally, making it reach a wider part of the country. This is a low-cost solution targeting the sudden surge in the need of ventilators. The validation is under process and couple of intensivists form the part of the development team.
VENT19 on the other hand is aimed to provide a low-cost alternative to existing commercials ventilators and is a complex design when compared to RESP19. It is a positive pressure ventilator in which the air delivery is achieved by Turbine mechanism (Piston Mechanism) and provides almost all the controls that can be found in a commercial ICU setup ventilator. The project duration is 18 months.
For the prototyping of the VENT19, two air delivery mechanisms are being tested. One is Turbine driven, another being a piston driven.
Hence three parts are 3D printed:
1. 3D printed turbine – This device will be used in the prototype that will have a constant air flow design. This “constant-revolution blower system” will be maintained by the 3D printed turbine mechanism.
2. 3D printed piston cylinder – This part is used for building another prototype of VENT19, in which the piston cylinder allows the flow to lungs by the compression of the gas.
3. 3D printed venturi valve – Provides an option to limit FiO2 (Fraction of Inspired Oxygen) levels.
3D printing proved to be an immensely powerful tool for all the ideators who want to bring their ideas to life. 3D printing has empowered many creators and encouraged the implementation of design thinking which is resulting is various indigenous solution. Altem is a leading name in the rapid prototyping industry and one of the best solution providers in field of CAD/CAM/CAE/PLM & Rapid Prototyping Machines that can boost you in-house R&D design capabilities. Working with Altem had been wonderful experience! Altem helped MetaFix Ortho in different ways till now and there are many opportunities to be explored. There are pilot projects run by MetaFix Ortho that are aimed as low-cost indigenous solutions in rehabilitation field, that use 3D printing as a solution. Being an expert from biomedical and rehabilitation field, I can surely say that 3D printing has a huge potential that can revolutionise the medical industry (and many others in design and manufacturing).
In this project which commenced on a shorter note and were able to progress due to 3D printing technology. Validating the POC and prototype it for testing could be achieved by using the 3d printed parts. The prototype provides setting for manual bpm and tidal volume adjustment, along with variable inspiration expiration ratio. This uses rapid prototyping techs like laser cutting and 3d printing. 3d printing parts used were motor shaft couplings, humidifier connection, couplers to ET tube and Venturi Valve for FiO2 requirements Altem helped with the calibration work and later it was validated at a hospital in Khadki, Pune. It is easy to validate, change and even improve the design using rapid prototyping. Thus, it is an important tool (3D Printer) that can be helpful in all times. 3D printing technology has drastically reduced the time needed for overall product development and is must with every R&D and technical institution and incubation centre.
VENT19 is an ambitious project aimed to provide better and affordable healthcare solution in intensive care units. The duration for the development and testing of this prototype is 18 months. The target price for this device is aimed at 2 lakhs INR as compared to 15-20 Lakhs of the existing commercial ventilators. The project targets to reach at grass root levels and improve the healthcare scenario at the rural levels.
Customized healthcare solution (in the field of rehabilitation(ortho/neuro/CBR)) is going to be the new future, courtesy the 3D printing technology and the pioneers providing these services!
About Salman Shaikh – CEO, MetaFix Ortho
Founder of MetaFix Ortho and expert in rehabilitation biomechanics. He is electronics engineer with specialization in biomedical. He has developed and prototyped artificial knee, bionic arm, various orthosis and has been working on development of a prosthesis foot. He is consultant for customized rehabilitation with various clinics, Pune and Satara, and promotes the application of 3D Printing in healthcare industry. He had been a Pune University-UGC approved Assistant Professor and had setup and headed incubation centre during his stint as an academician. He is on industry advisory board to VIT, Pune. He is also a PM Yuva Facilitator and enjoys mentoring students on innovation and design thinking.
Publication Date : March, 2020
