Open Source Medical Supplies: Resources and Information
In light of the enormous contention around the shortage of life-saving medical equipment and lacking availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic around the world, open source designs for medical equipment gained renewed attention during Spring 2020.
As global supplies have re-stocked, there is still a huge value in access to open-source models for medical equipment, provided for free to anyone around the world. Some select information for engineers, designers, and producers can be found below, as well as some articles on the background of and opportunities available in the movement.
Thumbnail image: open source laser cut face shield model from Something Labs
Something Labs (San Francisco-based organisation)
Something Labs is “a distributed volunteer coalition who protects frontline medical workers by quickly innovating and bridging gaps between supply chains and medical systems” (quoted from the website).
The organisation, based in San Francisco and Oakland, CA, provides comprehensive open-source models for medical PPE, such as: face shields, intubation boxes, sneeze guards, gowns, and more. They also connect medical providers and others in need of PPE with volunteer-produced equipment.
GoFundMe Campaign video for Something Labs via YouTube
Open Source Medical Supplies
Open Source Medical Supplies (OSMS) is an organisation that includes a coalition of “engineers, medical professionals, scientists, researchers, makers, fabricators, designers, software developers, organizers, activists, international development professionals, and translators” from around the world.
“Launched in March 2020, Open Source Medical Supplies (OSMS) has brought together a global network of over 70,000 makers, fabricators, community organizers, and medical professionals working together to meet the unprecedented medical supply challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic” (quoted from the website). Their Libraries link to dozens of open source projects for medical PPE and tech.
Free photo via Unsplash
Article: “Open-Source Medical Hardware: What You Should Know and What You Can Do”
This article by Victoria Heath (Creative Commons, 15 April 2020) covers an informative exploration of open source medical equipment and hardware in the coronavirus era; Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), history of need and development, safety issues, resources, and more.
Excerpt: “Although 3D printing is a low-cost and quick way to create PPE components like face shields, there are instances in which it’s better to use other technologies like laser cutting to manufacture more reliable and effective devices—this is especially true for more complex devices like a positive pressure helmet (PPH).”
Article: “Contribute to open source healthcare projects for COVID-19”
This article by Joshua Pearce (Open Source, 28 March 2020) discusses the myriad ways to put developer, maker, and other volunteer skills to use for the production of open source medical equipment. It links out to many volunteer-led projects emerging around the world in response to COVID-19, and suggests different ways to get involved per skillset.
