Proshshash: iCube designs ventilators for all

Whenever humankind is threatened, be it an environmental disaster, war or plague, history has shown how collective efforts and ingenuity have shielded us from further devastation. The novel coronavirus is no different. All around the world, enterprising scientists, engineers, doctors and other people began experimenting with possible vaccines, test kits and bio-medical equipment that would be needed in the war against this unforeseen enemy. The iCube team decided to join the battle.

The Story of Proshshash

iCube is a Bangladeshi innovation hub of engineers and scientists. They started designing a ventilator in the hopes of contributing to the nation's fight against coronavirus.

When EDGE The Foundation, launched their nationwide initiative – "Design for Life, Ventilators for All" iCube joined the race. They were expected to compete and come up with a ventilator that is both economical and easily scalable.

With sixty entries, the competition went on for two-weeks. iCube's design emerged among the best three, judged by a panel of biomedical engineering experts and ICU doctors from two continents.

During the final prototyping stage of the contest, Edge declared iCube's ventilator winner, promising to deliver a functional, sophisticated machine that was not only inexpensive to make but easily scalable.

The product was named 'Proshshash' which means inhalation or the action of breathing.

Experts from around the world were consulted to help further develop the features.

The latest version is now a surprisingly simple looking product that packs quite the punch. It can run nonstop for days on CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) or BiPAP (Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure) modes for coronavirus patients with low to moderate breathing difficulties.

Then, there is the CMV (Continuous Mandatory Ventilation) mode for patients needing intubation, when all else has failed and is thus used as a last resort.