MassVentil Project

COVID-19 is an example of emergency situations, where a mass of sick people need to be treated simultaneously and national healthcare infrastructures with –even increased availability of- standard solutions are not able to cope with the extra load of task and stress. 

We invented a new technology and created a mass ventilator system with individually adjustable patient parameters, especially designed for ad-hoc hospitals where hospital infrastructure is not available.

Middle and low income populations would need ca. 2,5 million ventilators as standard, and 3,7 mio ventilators for COVID-19. It is impossible to cover by single-patient ventilators. Impossible because of costs, stock and therapist availability.

Our solution not only does the job for fraction of the costs compared to single-patient ventilators, it handles a larger number of patients with less medical staff, protects valuable medical human resources from cross-contamination and let them make data-driven, reliable, prompt decisions in large scale.

Almost 8 million people are officially effected by COVID-19, almost 0,5 million died already (JHUM15.06.2020). The pandemic has just hit seriously South America and India and haven't reached its peak in Africa yet, where higher infection ratio and higher mortality rate are expected. Also, experts expect a 2nd comeback for October 2020.

The problems we try to solve are:

(1) Medical ventilators typically supply one single person; available quantity is not enough for the global population. 

(2) Low and middle income countries don't get enough devices for 2 main reasons:

            (a) cannot afford the price of 20-50 TEUR per device for a mass of single patient ventilators and

             (b) high income countries have absorbed the available quantity from the market, a general shortage exists.

(3) When setting up mass health camps, some of available equipment can't be used without hospital infrastructure.

(4) Medical professionals are overloaded due to labor intensive work, and stressed by triage regulations.

(5) Doctors and nurses became ill and many die, caused by cross-contamination, virus infection.

(6) Ad-hoc hospitals, and mass emergency camps are opening (to cope with the situation) with limited medical staff, so real-time patient monitoring in such environment is difficult.

We created a mass ventilator system, that under critical circumstances (i.e COVID-19 pandemic), can be used to simultaneously (but individually) ventilate a large number of patients -up to 50 people- in critical health status (with ARDS - acut respiratory distress syndrome). 

The patented MassVentil technology consists of a central duct system and personal ventilator modules for the individual patients. The central inhalation and exhalation duct system supplies air to and collects gases from all the personal ventilator modules for ventilating more patients at the same time, thereby saving more lives. 

Our MassVentil concept is NOT based on a single patient ventilator concept. It is also NOT a co-ventilation based approach. Due to the modularity of the system, new patients can be integrated into the system up to the system’s maximum capacity. The maximum capacity of the system is mainly determined by the capacity of the dedicated, redundant, heavy duty motors used in the inhalation and exhalation system (important parameters: the amount and minimum pressure of the air supplied, and size restrictions due to the environment).

The mass ventilator system serves emergency or disaster management and charity organisations, that build camp hospitals / ad hoc hospitals for developing countries, refugees, war victims and pandemics.

These are camp hospitals or halls without hospital infrastructure, with limited number of medical staff, a mass of people to be treated and no budget for a mass of single-patient ventilators.

We significantly reduce the cost per ventilated patient by eliminating individual motors and supplying some robust motors for the whole system. 

We are able to simultaneously handle more people with less medical staff, because we are able to supply them with individual patient data and summarized situation data remotely, it is not necessary to go to each individual to control medical status. 

Medical staff is able to monitor individual ventilation parameters remotely, not necessary to walk to the patient's bed, which saves time and limits the risks of contacting infectious patients.

We reduce the stress factor for doctors by giving them a tool that decreases the number of situations when they need to face triage (the decision about who gets access to ventilation and who doesn't).

We protect medical staff from cross-contamination, because we transport away and filter the infectious air.

We respond to emerging pandemics and health security threats. 

We support health workers by supplying them with individual patient data and summarized situation data remotely; let them make data-driven, reliable, prompt decisions in large scale and treat patients (monitor and change individual ventilation parameters) remotely.

We protect overloaded health workers from triage stress and early burn-out; and reduce the risk of cross-contamination, getting infected by sick patients.

Our solution would enable to strengthen access to affordable primary healthcare systems in 3rd countries with permanent high respiratory disease ratio.

Three main ventilation concepts are available recently. The single person ventilation is the traditional concept, co-ventilation was invented during the COVID19 pandemic as a fast hacking, problem fixing solution to deal with the massive shortage of medical ventilators. Mass ventilation concept, is the one proposed here, is new, innovative provide cost effective and feasible solutions to the resource shortage problem, and opens up a new niche market in the medical ventilator field.

A good example for “Co-ventilation” is the solution developed by Dr. Alain Gauthier’ aka. the “Evil Genius” who has double the number of patients per one ventilator at his hospital in March 2020 during COVID19 pandemic.

A more hybrid co-ventilation solution is the recently developed Individualized System for Augmenting Ventilator Efficacy (iSAVE)  system built at MIT, which already overcomes some constraints of the co-ventilation method.

A fully functional mass ventilation system (Breathing Aid from Germany) was announced shortly after the MassVentil project was published on the Internet. This system contains similar innovation as the MassVentil system, but it is only able to do non-invasive ventilation using face mask, in the so called Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) mode.Their extended prototypes are able to ventilate 10 - 30 patients in parallel.

Our solution, the award-winning MassVentil concept is a fully functional mass ventilation system that supports both non-invasive ventilation modes (using face ventilation masks) and invasive ventilation modes (using endotracheal tubes). It is currently unique: we offer more value for lower costs, thus opening a new market segment. 

The MassVentil system combines the following set of technologies:

ICT technologies: information is measured real-time in the system, data  transported/collected using secure WiFi and RS-485 communication and https channels with advanced authentication. Data processed and visualized by the help of Information Technologies.

IoT (Internet of Things):patient ventilation units are containing sensors and actuators. The sensor network is easily scalable and communication is realized via secure MQTT (JSON).

BigData: the collected patient data is archived (using large Databases) processed/analyzed using innovative heuristic and non-heurstic (AI) algorithms, and visualized on IoT Dashboards using web technologies (accessible online with PCs, tablets and smartphones).

The core infrastructure of the MassVentil system is basically builds up a high-availability SCADA architecture. 

During development we have extensively relying on the rapid prototyping concept, so most of the components are easy-to-be realized using 3D printers in a fablab.

We have a strong testing protocol, as technology inventors are driven by patient safety.

Based on the 1st prototype we have tested that the concept works. 

Based on the 2nd prototype we have tested that the technology works. We received test dolls and support from one of the most reputed medical university of Europe: the Hungarian Semmelweiss Medical University.

We presented the invention to the Hungarian Scientific Council for COVID-19 Pandemics with positive feedback and won the ventilator category of EUvsVirus hackhaton of the European Union. 

The 3rd prototype we are building now is for testing usability and product deployment in real environment. We are finishing a MassVentil system (for 10 patients) in a real ad-hoc pandemic hospital in Hungary. Usability is tested by health workers, without engineering experience.

We have submitted recently the application for clinical trials (official applicant No: 2020-019 /Animal Welfare Committee in Hungary).

The MassVentil concept has been patented in April 2020 (patent application PCT/HU2020/050013).

To test market interest and business opportunity we are building international relations with research institutes and foundations. We have signed cooperation agreements with Brazilian and Ethiope institutions and universities working on pandemic solutions and have a letter of intent from a foundation ("bond to impact" model) targeting South-America and Africa, we are just finalizing the text for the Memorandum of Agreement. 

We also target experienced manufacturers of life saving devices to build cooperation and get into production. And we have already positive feedback and are negotiating agreement details.

We are designing a mass ventilator system for camp hospitals (of emergency, disaster and charity organisations who support nations or a group of people in need) in situations where a mass of people need to be ventilated.

The  MassVentil system supports low and medium income countries at the fraction of the costs compared to single-patient ventilators, enables them to handle a larger number of patient with less medical staff, protects valuable medical human resources from cross-contamination and let them make data-driven reliable prompt decisions in large scale.

Getting access to ventilators shouldn’t be the privilege of the developed world only. In Latin-America, Asia and Africa, middle and low income populations we would need ca. 2,5 million ventilators as regular and 3,7 million ventilators for COVID-19. That is impossible to cover by individual-patient ventilators. Impossible because of the costs, stock availability and lack of enough respiratory therapists.

We believe our solution helps nations, who have no access to enough medical ventilator. We support them in building a health care systems that are able to treat a mass of people with the same or lower budget than before.

The MassVentil concept's significance is about the same size as when the bus was invented to transport large masses instead of single motorcycles. When the mass ventilator system comes on the market, it will change the entire industry. In fact, it opens a new way to medicine because it sets an example of how masses can be cured based on a "mass individualization" philosophy (in the future maybe automated) way. It sets an example of how to supply more people cheaper, with fewer human contributions, without deterioration. It sets an example of how to provide a better service at lower costs by the help of technology revolution. The invention creates a leap of magnitude in the development of mass health care.

Currently: 0

We are jut about to make the clinical tests, no sick people are served at the moment.

Within one year: 75.000

Our forecast is, that one device will be designed for 15-25 patients. It's up to 50 possible, but then the system deployment is more difficult because of the size. We want our device to stay mobile enough and easy to deploy, easy to set up, still serve a mass of people, so for commodity we design 15-25 patient versions.

One patient needs ventilation up to 2 weeks. So in one year 25 x 15-25 patients can be served by 1 device (considering maintenance time as well). That means 375 - 625 patients / device / year. We calculate by 500 patient / device / year.

We plan to be market-ready in max. 6 month, so within one year we will have 6 month usage only. We want to sell 300 pieces worldwide within 1 year from now, that makes out for 6 month usage 75.000 patients.

Within 5 years: we want to scale up to 2.500.000 patients altogether.

1st year (6 months): 75.000  - 300 device on the market

2nd year (12 month): 500.000 patients -1000 device on the market

3rd year: 1.000.000 patients - 2000 device on the market

4th year: 1.600.000 patients - 3200 device on the market

5th year: 2.500.000 patients - 5000 device on the market

Within 5 years we want to scale up to 5.000 mass ventilator device based on the MassVentil concept. 

From 1st year (6 months): 300 device on the market to 5th year: 5000 device on the market

We consider this as a conservative forecast, based on our current knowledge and business model. However we are testing different business models at the moment, and we aim to scale the most efficient one to increase economy of scale. Also, we will always test new models as we learn and as market changes. 

We are about to grow not only via scaling sales of the initial device. We also will design targeted product versions (for example mass ventilator for refugee camps, ad-hoc catastrophic areas, basic hospitals with poor hospital infrastructure in developing countries etc.)

Also, we see ourselves, as innovator in mass health care, seeking for solutions for nations with high population and density. We want to customize individual health care and complement the limited availability of human heath resources with technology assisted solutions.

Challenges of the 1st year:

• We have to ensure revenue, and sustainability of our business model, however do not want to prevent others by high pricing to use this new technology in order to save more lives.
• Incorporating as a social enterprise and finding the most suitable legal entity to ensure legal protection for our operations in the humanitarian sector. 
• Our project community is fully based on volunteer engagement driven by the COVID-19 pandemics, and when impact is decreasing in Europe, so does passion
• Get the device certificated - it is a very long procedure.
• Get funds for developments.
• Build up reliable network of different stakeholders.

Challenges of the first 5 years:

• Finding the right business model that works best
• Developing new product versions
• Entering new markets
• Keeping the interest of supporters even after corona virus has gone, because the solution is needed long term also for other epidemics in the targeted countries, however these are far away from the developed world where funds and support are coming from
• Ensure the high quality of the devices in order to protect the value of the technology, so that it gets established

In the first year we will overcome challenges by:

• Working out IP (patent licence) usage conditions
• Asking for advice not only from lawyers and doctors, but also from experienced social entrepreneurship communities
• Ensuring enough engaged human resources drives the project: keeping the passion of volunteers by communication and online events and / or ensure financial reimbursement for work.
• Applying for fast trek certification during COVID-19.
• Building relations to supportive foundations, establish impact-to-bond partnerships and integrate sponsorship and different marketing strategies to earn revenue.
• Evaluating partnerships consciously and build our network actively, pitch regularly and check out supportive communities

In the first 5 year we will overcome challenges by:

• Evaluating, adapting and testing new versions of our business model regularly
• As we do not live in the targeted territories, we involve local stakeholders into the development in order the develop the best product for them. 
• We build cooperation to foundations and organisations that have local experiences, we appoint local coordinators (from research or innovation institutes and universities)
• We build strong content-based communication toward stakeholders to keep attention and passion
• We select a quality control institute that checks local production

1 person, the principal investigator, and inventor of the innovation, technical head of the project - part time.

2 person responsible for market development, communication and international relations - 1 full time +1 part time 

4 partners in close technical collaboration, (the principal investigator + the 4 are the patent owner) - part time.

40+ voulunteers daily supporting the team - part time.

1400+ crowd resourcing members, working on / checking / analyzing technical solutions

20 institutions and companies supporting the project by funds, free products or services, or free collaboration / manpower.

We are an international community: engineers, researchers, inventors, doctors, economists, journalists, physicists, mathematicians, lawyers and university students. 

Agile management of the project and the diversity of the team, a enthusiastic professionals are key to our success.

All community members of the team are dedicated to contribute the best of their knowledge to this development. Together, we strongly believe that our intellectual capital and our collective work can be transformed into human lives.

The core team of experts:

Dr. Miklos KOZLOVSZKY, engineer, the inventor and principal investigator, experienced and enthusiastic biotech researcher, has already developed innovative market-mature solutions before, launched by medical companies. He is engaged in helping people in need, curing by technology and saving human lives.

Dr. Tamas HAIDEGGER, engineer, experienced in medical technologies, control/teleoperation of surgical robots, image-guided therapy and assistive devices, national delegate to the ISO TC299 standardization committee focusing on the safety and performance of medical robots.

Dr. Peter Galambos, expert of Advanced Industrial Robotics and Control Systems, Cyber-Physical Systems, and Virtual Reality.He is author of more than hundred scientific journal and conference papers. Member of the euRobotics topical group for Modularity and Standardisation.

Krisztina SZARVAS, MsC. economist, experienced market developer, international marketing professional, with both multinational company management, as well as entrepreneurial background.

Dr. Kacsuk Zsófia, European Patent Attorney, member of the Body of Experts on Industrial Property, the Hungarian Association for the Protection of Industrial Property and Copyright, and the European Patent Institute (epi).

We proudly present also other team members here.

Austrian Center for Medical Innovation and Technology is supporting the MassVentil team with its proven expertise in bringing complex medical devices from idea to clinical use. 

Central European University iLab links academia and business, helps our team to turn our theoretical invention into a marketable product. 

Hungarian Institute of Modernization helps with its expertise to create a reliable and robust system. 

Óbuda University provides location and space for the project. 

Semmelweiss Medical University has sent us medical (ambu) dolls, on which we are testing the system. 

Ethiopian Technology and Innovation Institute builds a pilot system for Ethiopia.

Minas Gerais Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology, Brazil cooperates with us in technology transfer.

MassVentil is working on a mass health care solution to combat COVID-19 and other epidemics in low- and middle income (high population & high density) countries, starting in Brazil and Ethiopia.

Model #1: After earning credibility, we have started to work on an impact-to-bond model and cooperate with a foundation that would finance development and devices for Brazil. 100 devices planned for 2020.

Model #2: Also, we have built cooperation with an Ethiopian innovation institute that will coordinate local production and finance it from government budget (we transfer ownership of the program to a local institution). 100 devices planned for 2020.

Model #3: Transfer ownership of the program to experienced manufacturers of life saving equipment and support them to get the prototype into production, let them branding and sell in their own name. 100 devices planned for 2020.

Model #4: Organize own production is a discussed option, but not in focus at the moment, because we we want to use existing manufacturing expertise available fast on the market.

The first 3 options are tested parallel. We might run them parallel in the future as well, or focus on the most promising ones, if any of them performs outstanding. Also, we aim to test additional models and review our strategy regularly (especially after COVID-19).

Our current revenue model is based on funding (crowdfunding, company sponsorship, and application for calls). We currently do everything on charity base as this was our promise during the funding campaign (to help people suffering in the period of COVID-19), but on mid tern our revenue is made up from patent license and consultation fee or project management fee and later, we may make our own production and then have a margin on the product itself.

We are positioned for long-term sustainability because 25% of the 1500 million USD ventilator market remains under explored and the MassVentil concept is currently the only one complex mass ventilator solution in space.

We will scale our project by getting more devices to the market in countries where it works already, then addressing new countries. As far as we manage to sign cooperation with foundations supporting low income countries, we will target and support those countries, and by the second model we target medium income countries. Manufacturers (3rd model) target their own customers.

I apply to Solve in order to get better in what we do and how we do, to

• be able to join your community that helps advance our innovative work;
• find mentors and strategic advisors;
• earn funds, so that we can finance support and cooperation with countries is need;
• earn attention and credibility, so that our solution earns reputation and gets faster to target groups, who can make use of it;

We believe, earning access to MIT Solve would speed up the trek we follow, and when combating COVID-19, speed is key. MIT Solve would contribute to getting better and faster.

Business model: need advice from experienced mentors or entrepreneurs, what models work best in Afrika / South-Amerika / Asia

Product / service distribution: need partners / experienced foundations targeting those territories, to find out what distribution channel works best

Funding and revenue model: our expert has experience in building revenue models for the developed world (Europe), and also international business development experience, but no social entrepreneurship experience and no local experience in the targeted developing markets

Legal / regulatory matters: no experience in international law for the targeted market

We need mentors, communities or recommended partners who would help us get experienced and / or raise adequate questions what to prepare for. Basically, we have a new technology to help nations in need, but we have no experience in the developing world. We are professionals ready to learn from other professionals and from people with local experience.

We would like to partner with MIT Solve in order to learn and get better in business strategy.

We would be happy to partner with MIT Solve teams, who may have different offer for the same targeted segment, for example LifeBank in Africa. Either to learn from, getting mentorship or enter the market commonly with joint efforts and sharing revenue.

We would like to partner with charity organisations supporting our segments, looking for solution to fulfill their health related mission.

We would like to partner with medical device manufacturers, who have established market presence and see potential in inventing in this brand new technology.

Our team of engineers and researchers from the Óbuda Univesity would be happy to partner with other universities (for example MIT) to cooperate in research and development programs.

We are addressing big, critical issue of our community with a powerful, tangible solution. Our team has professional background with proven trek of records, and experience to create lasting, positive impact, and inspire the hearts and minds of others, thereby helping to elevate others on a global scale.

We are purpose-driven, we dedicate ourselves to help people in need on the other side of the world, we are dedicated to improve mass, technology driven healing, because we believe long healthy life shouldn't be the privilege of the developed world. We aim to inspire others, and we definitely have done, when raising funds to fulfill our mission.

We are innovative, not only regarding the technology we established, but also the way we have built our team and reputation with growth hacking principles within 2 month, having 1400+ volunteer supporters. We have proven ability to persevere and transform obstacles into opportunities, as  we started from the point, where professionals said we have a bad idea, and got to earning the first price on the EUvsVirus hackathon for the ventilator challenge. Get credibility fast was really hard work, we needed to be very determined not to give up. And we were.

Our research team has international reputation (with proven scientific publications) and is teaching and mentoring university students, playing a role model for and inspiring the next generation. We will use the fund to improve our market presence and also, teach innovation management and market entry strategies for junior entrepreneurs.

We have a technical solution that have the potential to significantly impact millions of lives. 

The MassVentil concept's significance is about the same size as when the bus was invented to transport large masses instead of single motorcycles. When the mass ventilator system comes on the market, it will change the entire industry. In fact, it opens a new way to medicine because it sets an example of how a mass of people can be cured in a standardized (in the future maybe automated) way. It sets an example of how to supply more people cheaper, with fewer human contributions, without deterioration. It sets an example of how to provide a better service at lower costs by the help of technology revolution. The invention creates a leap of magnitude in the development of mass health care.

We will use the fund to improve our market presence and scale our solution up to 50 people / device, so that we can save yearly 1250 people / device (compared to 25, the capacity of a single-patient ventilator).