Open-source USB CPAP machine

Hi All

Chinese copy-cat Arduino boards run from $8 (R160) on Ebay.

Spoke to some programmer buddies of mine in the US, they reckon that is by far the best option you have. Use the Arduino open software to program the board then your own software to read and write date to the Arduino drivers.

Cpap blowers check out ALIEXPRESS.

Ebay DOES ship to SA, just takes a while.

reminder.... "Remind me to take a photograph of it and post it here. "

I just go approved for medical on my cpap, so now I can compare the DIY I 'm making w/ the one I will get fitted with.  

I ordered a mask:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079F69D88/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and (erroneously) a fan that barely meets the specs just to evaluate: 

 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CSNEO2G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Brushless Radial Blower - UTUO DUAL Ball Bearing High Speed 12V DC Centrifugal Fan with XH-2.5 Plug 120mm by 120mm by 32mm (4.72x4.72x1.26 inch)

From Wikipedia: The pressure required by most patients with sleep apnea ranges between 6 and 14 cmH2O. A typical CPAP machine can deliver pressures between 4 and 20 cmH2O. More specialised units can deliver pressures up to 25 or 30 cmH2O. CPAP treatment can be highly effective in treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.

The motor 

• Max. Air Flow: 42.45CFM
• Max. Static Pressure: 41.10mm-H2O ( oops I though it was in cm-h20 )

The real cpap motors look to be similar to RC motors and ESC's. Should be easily 3d printed:

-Lee

The Resmed Mirage Quattro  full-face mask I use is a wonderful  design. It fits snugly and it's quiet. 

It does wear, however, and the part that wears out fastest is the harness. The harness is a nice one-piece design cut out of a neoprene and fleece laminate, with velcro-adjustable straps. 

The hooks of the velcro wears out the loops of the fleece, so that after a time the velcro no longer works. I've successful sewn velcro loop material to the harness, but eventually the neoprene collapsed too. 

After some experimentation I was able to devise a replacement harness out of haberdashery elastic, mylar sheet and a stapler. It is custom-made for me without any adjustability, so any practical implementation will need a measurement scheme. 

Remind me to take a photograph of it and post it here. 

At this point the project is a wish more than a project, but if I put it out there perhaps we can get people to join and create hope for lots of people.