Revolutionary Invention: Afghan Girls Create Affordable Ventilator Using Toyota Corolla Parts
A team of five brilliant Afghan girls, aged 14 to 17, has made headlines with their innovative idea of producing ventilators using parts from a Toyota Corolla. This remarkable achievement is a result of the Afghan Dreamers program, an initiative by Afghan tech entrepreneur Roya Mahboob aimed at empowering girls across the country.
About the Afghan Dreamers Program
The Afghan Dreamers program selects participants from all over Afghanistan based on their grade 9 and 10 degree exams. The chosen students are then nominated for the Dreamers program and even for the Afghan Girls Robotics Team, which represents the country in international competitions. The program provides the girls with all the necessary resources to solve technical problems and represent their country globally.
The Team Behind the Invention
The team working on this project consists of Somaya Faruqi, Dyana Wahbzadeh, Folernace Poya, Ellaham Mansori, and Nahid Rahimi. These young girls have demonstrated exceptional skills and dedication to creating a low-cost ventilator that can save thousands of lives. They have worked on two prototypes, one of which resembles the design of the MIT ventilator and uses parts from a Toyota Corolla.
What is the MIT Ventilator?
The MIT ventilator, also known as the E-Vent, is a low-cost ventilator designed by a team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The device is intended to help patients with severe COVID-19 cases breathe when their lungs are unable to function properly. The MIT E-Vent team, consisting of students and professors, has been working tirelessly to develop a simple design that can be mass-produced with ease.
The E-Vent uses a pocket ventilator ambu bag, a plastic bag that helps patients breathe by compressing and decompressing the bag by hand. However, operating the Ambu bag requires skill and patience to adapt the pump’s timing and pressure to the situation. To address this challenge, the E-Vent team has developed a mechanism to operate the Ambu bag automatically.
How the Afghan Girls’ Ventilator Works
The ventilator designed by the Afghan girls uses the battery and engine of a Toyota Corolla, making the necessary parts widely available worldwide. The team is currently optimizing the device and working with doctors to test it. The use of readily available parts significantly reduces the cost of production, making the ventilator more accessible to those in need.
FAQs
- What is the cost of the MIT ventilator? The MIT ventilator is estimated to cost around $100, significantly lower than traditional hospital ventilators, which can cost up to $30,000.
- How does the E-Vent team plan to make the design available? The E-Vent team plans to make the design available to the public, allowing inexpensive ventilators to be manufactured and distributed to those who need them.
- What are the key factors considered in the design of the ventilator? The team considers factors such as durability, accuracy, and reliability to ensure the ventilator is robust and effective.
The invention of the affordable ventilator by the Afghan girls is a testament to the power of innovation and determination. As the world continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, this revolutionary device has the potential to save thousands of lives and make a significant impact on global healthcare.
