Inspire Breathing Assistant

Problem being addressed

Pneumonia is a major cause of death for infants and children in resource-limited settings. Since oxygen therapy is expensive and requires medical professionals, antibiotics are the often the only treatment.

Detailed description of the solution

Inspire converts room air into pressurized gas to expand patients' lung instead of using oxygen tanks like traditional bubble CPAP methods. Doctors can direct oxygen into the Inspire device if oxygen supplements are necessary. Since pure oxygen in excess doses can result in blindness and asthma, this device is also safer for less-trained professionals to use.

Designed by

• Designed by: A team at Stanford University
• Manufacturer location: Stanford University

When and where it was tested/implemented

Bangladesh

Funding Source

National Institutes of Health grant

References

Other internally generated reports

Pavkov, Pamela. (2011). INSPIRE: Evaluating a Transition to Product Development. Retrieved November 29, 2013 from here.

Externally generated reports

Pavkov, Pamela. (July 5, 2011). OpenIDEO. Inspire: a low-cost breathing assistant for infants in rural settings. Retrieved November 29, 2013 from here.