UKH

does anyone have a design ready to be manufactured and installed yet? it seems as if we are running out of time and options, we have JCB and dyson both designing ventilators but neither are even close to the testing phase and are still in the late design/early prototype stage. i did see various protos being shown on the tv these seemed simple and worked by using a motor and a linear actuator to compress a bag valve mask and another using compressed air to pressurize a box containing the bag valve mask.  

There are existing manufacturers of ventilators. From what I've seen on the news no-one's contacted them (or at least the ones that phone up the BBC) to make more. Then there's the "...oh we must have missed that email" as the government fails to join with the £500 million EU 'let's get lots of ventilators' initiative so avoiding paying Dyson his usual over inflated prices. 

But then I'm a terrible cynic. 

New open source design with 'off-the-shelf' parts at about a tenth of the standard ventilator cost. It was demo'd on BBC Click this am.

https://oxvent.org

Could be a game changer when things hit the 3rd world.

In the states, various high-profile manufacturers (mostly of cars) are taking the approach of teaming up with existing ventilator makers. Either to use the big manufacturer's buying power and supply chain contacts/experience to help the ventilator makers scale up their own production or to use the designs and expertise of the ventilator makers to manufacture in the big player's facilities. Both those approaches seem much more sensible than starting a new design. (With the possible exception of the very simplified designs some have mooted. Though if such simplicity is sufficient to do the job, I do wonder why they weren't already a thing. Maybe there's something special about the needs of people in this situation that makes a simpler version enough?)

Yes, my employer (who are keeping quiet about this so I won't name) have reversed engineered an existing design have already produced the first 100 for testing and are looking to produce 1000 a day from Monday. 

So it is happening but not all companies are feeling the need to announce it from the rooftops like Mr Dyson.

Similarly over here.

 There's a big group of manufacturers working along a current ventilator producer to upscale the production of their exsting device which should start the production rolling by Monday if what i read is correct.

 Not a lot of details as i assume they are concentrating on getting this done rather than pushing out press releases, but from what i could gather the OG maker has freely provided all available specs/drawings/details for the devices and it's supporting and advising along with a range of medical boffins.

  The participants are grouped into industry groups so they can concentrate in supporting with their particular expertise. 

 There's a group of F1 teams led by McLaren under the name Project Pitlane, a group of large scale manufacturers led by Nissan, and a group of aerospace manufacturing and engineering firms led by Meggitt, all pooling their resources and working together under the name Ventilator Challenge UK Consortium.

Some of the names i could find in a quick google are:

GKN, Siemens, Airbus, Renishaw, Rolls Royce; BAE Systems, Microsoft, Thales, Unilever, Nissan, Meggitt, McLaren, Aston Martin, Red Bull, BWT Racing Point, Haas,  Mercedes-AMG Petronas, Renault DP World  ROKiT Williams.

This is the latest UK report on covid-19 and critical care

https://www.icnarc.org/About/Latest-News/2020/03/27/Report-On-775-Patients-...

Even with good selection of patients (note that 90% were completely independent, and a very small proportion having severe underlying medical conditions), 66% of patients who received invasive ventilation died.

This is with fully staffed ITUs, modern ventilators and 1:1 care and is likely the best we can expect. What on earth is going to happen with rapidly produced basic machines and reduced staffing levels

We need to stop people getting it in the first place, and stop healthcare staff transmitting it due to ineffective PPE. Ventilators are a side show.