[sneak]

> If these devices malfunction, they could hurt people.

I think that the circumstances under which these are being developed are a special emergency; the alternative to using such a less-safe, makeshift device here would be no ventilator at all, i.e. near-certain death.

In this specific circumstance, I think this sort of criticism should be withheld. I don't think anyone's talking about reflashing CPAPs to be life support outside of a temporary C19 emergency shortage.

[bearcobra]

The YouTube channel Real Engineering has a great video breaking down why that might not actually be true. The possibility that makeshift devices could cause barotrauma and make things worse seems quite significant. You can check it out here if your interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vLPefHYWpY

[sneak]

I just watched the video. I'm not sure what outcome is worse than "you need a ventilator, but we are out of all of the safe, high-quality ones, and so you will now suffocate and die". In that circumstance I am certain that very nearly 100% of patients would accept potential barotrauma versus the alternative.

[mumblemumble]

If we're to keep it real, my understanding is that, if you have COVID-19 and need ventilation but can't get it, you're all but guaranteed to die. So, assuming a real ventilator is not available, then avoiding makeshift measures due to worries about barotrauma seems to me to be somewhat akin to saying that people shouldn't administer CPR because it's likely to break ribs.

[gmueckl]

In these circumstances, this kind of criticism is especially necessary. It's easy to feel like you're doing the right thing and that you're helping people when you set out to hack medical devices. The truth is that you should only even think of doing it as a team with a leadership that understands the full engineering requirements for such a device completely and is very professional about it, including following strict processes (testing separated from development, test documentation, etc...). The consequences of sloppy work in that field can be extreme.

I'm not going to put up with "it helps if it saves lives" as a /blanket/ excuse. It fall apart when it saves some and kills others that could have survived.

[ClumsyPilot]

I am sorry but that statement cuts no ice with me.

The team clearly doe know what they are doing, you ha e provided no evidence, except a blanket statement of 'something might go wrong'.

Unless you can actually point to specific issues, your statement is not very useful