The ARMEE™ ventilator could soon be in the hands of medical professionals who need an emergency option for ventilation in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.
Written by: Teresa Barnes

ARMEE™ EMERGENCY VENTILATOR REACHES DESIGN VERIFICATION TEST PHASE
Fundraising Underway to Support Non-Profit Ventilator Prototype Production, Regulatory Efforts
The Interstate Disaster Medical Collaborative (IDMC), a non-profit organization that provides a forum for collaboration, cooperation and coordination of disaster medical experts, assets and systems, announced today its ARMEE™ ventilator has entered its Design Verification Test (DVT) phase. To support IDMC’s emergency ventilator prototype production and regulatory efforts, the organization has initiated fundraising efforts.
The ARMEE™ ventilation device (ARMEEVent.com), which stands for “Automatic Respiration Management Exclusively for Emergencies,” is based on technology developed in the 1960s by Harry Diamond Laboratories for the U.S. Army. Experts believe the simply-designed ventilator, that requires no electricity and has no moving parts, can help bridge the gap of urgently needed mechanical ventilation support during the COVID-19 crisis. ARMEE™ also represents an economical, rapidly deployable ventilation tool that can be utilized in almost any kind of emergency or disaster response.
To make a donation to this non-profit effort, please go to: ARMEE ventilator project
“We are confident the ARMEE™ ventilator will move quickly through its DVT phase and could soon be in the hands of medical professionals who need an emergency option for ventilation in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. ARMEE™ can also provide a much-needed tool for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and the nation’s disaster response efforts,” said Brian Froelke, MD, President of IDMC and East Central Regional EMS Medical Director for Missouri. “In the months and years to come, as our nation rebuilds, in earnest, stockpiles of emergency supplies, we believe ARMEE™ will provide an option that is cost-effective, compact and electromagnetic pulse (EMP) proof.”
Overcoming Hurdles and Bridging the Gap
ARMEE™ overcomes the hurdles that plague many other device manufacturing efforts through its ability to pull from numerous potential production materials rather than relying on the components required by standard ventilator design. Many manufacturers are being hampered by competition for limited resources and materials, resulting in slower manufacturing processes and longer lead times. In addition to not requiring typical ventilator materials, ARMEE™ has an estimated cost of under $100 per unit and is economical to build. It can be mass-produced in days, not months, thereby increasing timely access by front line medical experts.
Supplementing, Not Replacing Existing Technology
The purpose of the ARMEE™ device is to bridge gaps and to provide an immediately deployable emergency option for mechanical ventilation to first responders and emergency medical personnel in situations where access to standardized ventilation is either unavailable or inoperable due to specific local conditions. Because the protocol the engineers and doctors designed can be provided to manufacturers large and small nationwide, production of devices can be ramped up to meet demand within days. To maintain quality and safety standards, once regulatory approval is given, IDMC plans to support ongoing safety and quality improvement initiatives.
How You Can Help
About ARMEE™
The ARMEE™ ventilation device, which stands for “Automatic Respiration Management Exclusively for Emergencies,” is based on technology developed in the 1960s by Harry Diamond Laboratories for the U.S. Army. In 2019, NASA published a paper on oscillators similar to ARMEE™.
Experts believe the simply-designed ventilator, which requires no electricity, works by harnessing fluid dynamics and contains no moving parts, can provide a much needed emergency solution for responders and healthcare providers. ARMEE™ can bridge the gap to provide critically-needed ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. and around the world and an emergency solution for future healthcare challenges.
To learn more, visit ARMEEVent.com.
About IDMC:
The Interstate Disaster Medical Collaborative (IDMC) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides a forum for collaboration, cooperation and coordination of disaster medical experts, assets and systems. To learn more, visit IDMC.us
Contact:
Teresa Barnes
The designs for these ventilators are presented As-Is. The goal is to present designs that can foster further discussion and be utilized in countries that permit this product. These are not finalized designs and do not represent certification from any country. You accept responsibility and release Helpful Engineering from liability for the manufacture or use of this product. This design was created in response to the announcement on March 10, 2020, from the HHS. Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) who issued a declaration pursuant to the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act.
Link to Prep act. :https://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/legal/prepact/Pages/default.aspx
ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER, EXPRESS, IMPLIED AND STATUTORY, ARE HEREBY DISCLAIMED. ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE HEREBY DISCLAIMED. THIS DEVICE (INCLUDING ANY ACCESSORIES AND COMPONENTS) IS PRESENTED ‘AS IS.’