Coming soon: 3D-printed ventilators in the UAE

ABU DHABI — In the wake of a global shortage of ventilators to treat Covid-19 patients, a team of researchers at the Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi is working to 3D print lowcost emergency ventilators.

The researchers from the university’s Healthcare Engineering Innovation Centre have developed a prototype and are now setting up a production plant to mass-produce ventilators to meet the rising local and global demands.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), around 80 per cent of people with Covid-19 recover without needing hospital treatment, but one person in six becomes seriously ill and can develop pneumonia, which may require ventilator treatment. As the pandemic continues, thousands of ventilators are needed around the world, and developing them quickly has the potential to save lives.

“One of the consequences for the healthcare system is the potential shortage of ventilators,” said Dr Cesare Stefanini, Director of HEIC.

“Our plan needs to be very aggressive,” said Dr Stefanini. “We aim to develop a working prototype in less than two weeks, alongside designing a mass production unit. We have all the theoretical and design expertise in our team, especially in the prototyping phase.”

The team is focusing on low-cost, rapid production using 3D printing and easily accessed materials. Within the next two weeks, the team aims to have the plan for the production plant finalised and the first units ready to go to support the UAE’s fight against Covid-19.