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Tag: Bird ventilator

A historic look back on the invention of the Bird Ventilator by Lackland's Forrest Bird
September 30, 2025 — The story of the Bird Ventilator is one of ingenuity, innovation, and a deep commitment to saving lives. At the heart of this remarkable development is Dr. Forrest Bird, a biomedical engineer whose work in both aviation and medicine transformed the treatment of respiratory failure. His time with the U.S. Air Force and at Lackland Air Force Base played a pivotal role in shaping his career and his understanding of engineering, which ultimately led to the invention of the Bird Ventilator — a device that continues to save lives around the world today... MORE

The Bird respirator Mark 7 dates from the 1950s and was once a standard piece of equipment in hospitals.