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Welcome to the OpenAutoclave wiki!

Why did I make this project?

I read a World Health Organization report that said 3 billion people in the world live in rural areas without reliable electricity and that, because of this, they often cannot get access to surgical care. The reason is that medical instrument sterilizers are usually too expensive and use too much electricity to work in these areas. I realized that I could use my RepRap building skills to design and build an autoclave that operates on 12VDC and is controlled by an Arduino. This means that it is inexpensive and can also run off grid from a vehicle or a solar panel. I wanted to promote this project to people who can build/test/deploy it in the field. Most of all, I want to promote the idea that we makers have skills that apply to solving real world problems, and can actually save lives.

What is the Open Autoclave?

The Open Autoclave uses low cost 12 volt cartridge heaters usually found in DIY 3D printers. These heaters can save lives.

This github repository contains the full text of an instruction book along with some associated Arduino code. The autoclave in this book is designed to run on 12 volt power from the cigarette lighter port of any motor vehicle. It can also run on an 80 watt solar panel. The book is designed to let makers, medical workers, and motivated individuals construct one such device for around $250 USD from easy-to-order commodity parts.

Build it! Test it! Use it!

It is my sincerest hope that this book will capture the imagination of a new generation of makers: A growing group of makers ready to apply their Arduino-superpowers to help their fellow person. These goodness-minded collaborative creators can be aptly called Humanitarian Makers. Perhaps this project will inspire you to be part of the Humanitarian Maker Movement.