+++
title = "KiCad and the Open Ventilator Project"
date = "2020-05-20"
draft = false
"blog/categories" = [
    "News"
]
+++

:icons:
:iconsdir: /img/icons/

The KiCad project is proud of our role as the electronic design application
used by the https://openventilator.gitlab.io/[Open Ventilator] project.
The Open Ventilator project is based on a release of the Medtronic PB560
ventilator mentioned in
https://makezine.com/2020/04/02/kicad-medtronic-pb560-ventilator-schematics/[this Make article].

The Open Ventilator project clearly demonstrates the potential of
open hardware.  The project was started by https://kipro-pcb.com/[KiCad Services] lead developer
Seth Hillbrand early in the COVID-19 pandemic.  It quickly gained more than 100 contributors
from all over the world.

The project updated circuit designs and bills of material to support current
production.  Currently, prototypes have been ordered and are currently being
evaluated for use in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

KiCad hopes to continue to push the benefits of open hardware designs into many other areas.
Like open software designs, there is no limit to what is possible with open hardware designs.
