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. 2020 Apr 24;18(4):e3000730.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000730. eCollection 2020 Apr.

Leveraging open hardware to alleviate the burden of COVID-19 on global health systems

Andre Maia Chagas  1   2   3 , Jennifer C Molloy  3   4 , Lucia L Prieto-Godino  2   5   6 , Tom Baden  1   2   6   7
Affiliations

Leveraging open hardware to alleviate the burden of COVID-19 on global health systems

Andre Maia Chagas et al. PLoS Biol. .

Abstract

With the current rapid spread of COVID-19, global health systems are increasingly overburdened by the sheer number of people that need diagnosis, isolation and treatment. Shortcomings are evident across the board, from staffing, facilities for rapid and reliable testing to availability of hospital beds and key medical-grade equipment. The scale and breadth of the problem calls for an equally substantive response not only from frontline workers such as medical staff and scientists, but from skilled members of the public who have the time, facilities and knowledge to meaningfully contribute to a consolidated global response. Here, we summarise community-driven approaches based on Free and Open Source scientific and medical Hardware (FOSH) as well as personal protective equipment (PPE) currently being developed and deployed to support the global response for COVID-19 prevention, patient treatment and diagnostics.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Examples of DIY masks and visors.
A, One of many designs for a home-made cloth-mask [43], which to date remain generally untested for effectiveness. B, Somewhat more effective cotton T-shirt based mask [25], C, Impermeable mask cover [44]. D, Stop gap surgical mask (3D printed) [45]. E, Laser-cut face-shield [46]. F, Aerosol box [47].
Fig 2
Fig 2. Examples of FOSH ventilators.
A, Arduino based PPM system [31]. B, Pandemic ventilator derivative [84]. C, OxyGEN bag automation system [37], D, Prototype rendering from Open Source Ventilator initiative [85]. E, PPM ventilator based on snorkel mask and 3D printed adaptor [86].
Fig 3
Fig 3. Examples of FOSH designs with potential use in diagnostics.
A, OpenTrons [28], a liquid handling robot B, Miriam, an incubator and reader for isothermal amplifications e.g. LAMP [117]. C, US CDC Primer and Probe Kit for diagnostic tests [118].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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